IPL 8: ‘Yuvraj Singh is a fantastic captain, fantastic cricketer,’ says Shaun Marsh

Mumbai: Shaun Marsh’s nickname SOS – Son of ‘Swampy’ (Geoff Marsh) – punned with the international distress signal code recently. The 31-year-old responded to Kings XI Punjab’s appeal for urgent help during the Super Over clash against Rajasthan Royals in the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Even after taking guard with the same franchise for seven years, the Australian never misses a chance to impress.

“We’d started off well at the centre. I’d an opportunity,” he said, while talking about the season’s first Super Over against the Royals in Ahmedabad last week.

IPL 8: ‘I rushed to dismiss Corey Anderson, not a 100 per cent effort’

The southpaw struck a 40-ball 65, that included three sixes and five boundaries earlier in the match before the scores were level. Hence, stand-in-skipper Virender Sehwag did not think twice before dialling his number in the troubled hour.

Shaun stole three boundaries off Chris Morris to take Kings XI to 15 in an over.

“I was trying to be as calm as possible. I hadn’t batted in such a situation before. I knew we had the chance,” said Shaun, who won the Orange Cap in the inaugural edition of the cash-rich league with 616 runs, five half-centuries and a ton.

IPL 8, MI vs CSK: ‘Wankhede is special for Indian players in our team,’ says Stephen Fleming

In 2015, there are other Australian stars (Mitchell Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, George Bailey) in Kings XI and the killer instinct is inevitable. But Shaun revealed that he is not trying to photocopy the Aussie way of controlling the game in the Indian league.

“It is good to play together but I’m not trying to replicate anything. I’m just playing to my strength and sticking to my plans,” he added.

However, Shaun is one of the few cricketers who stuck around with the same team for such a long period.

“It has been a fantastic journey. It was great playing with so many different players over these years,” said Shaun, whose first captain was none other than the star Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh.

“I thoroughly enjoyed playing with Yuvraj in the initial stages of the tournament. Fantastic captain and a fantastic cricketer,” said Shaun, who seems to be equally happy with the current class of Kings XI.

“We bond well and are good friends. It is a happy environment,” he added.