The all-rounder will never forget the moment when it dawned on him that he was going to play for Mumbai Indians

The 25-year-old had done most things on the domestic circuit to merit a bid at the Vivo IPL auction. His strike-rate in Twenty20 cricket read an astonishing 152. And he had smashed a 17-ball 43 besides picking up two wickets as Rajasthan stunned Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

But the Vivo IPL auction is a different ball game. Things don’t always go on expected lines. Dhillon was hoping for the best, though.

“I was at home watching TV with my family and friends. Had you checked my blood pressure then, I don’t know what (reading) you have got (laughs). A minute before I was up on the screen, the dish (antenna) in my house conked off. Then, a coach of mine rang me up when my name was called out. He told me some team bid Rs 25 lakh for me. Then it became Rs 30 lakh. By the time he said Rs 35 lakh, I just hung up, screamed my heart out and hugged my parents. Soon, all our neighbours came home. It was one big celebration,” the hard-hitting all-rounder recalls with fondness.

Dhillon is still over the moon. And he wants to convert all that positive energy into some solid performances with both bat and ball.

“When I first watched the Vivo IPL in 2008, I was just 15. Back then, I decided I would play for MI one day. Now, I am part of MI. It’s just surreal. I would have loved to play under Sachin (Tendulkar) Sir but now I am happy I will be playing under his mentorship. I can’t tell you how happy I am. The seniors are very supportive. So are the coaches. Everybody keeps on encouraging me. I hope I can do well,” he says.

Dhillon, who hails from Dholpur in Rajasthan, is a powerhouse of talent and strength. He is one of the sweetest timers of the cricket ball, and his hits go far and wide. He is also a reliable off-spinner and is proud of the fact that he can contribute to the team’s cause in more ways than one. He says the secret behind his power is “a combination of diet, gym work and staying fit”.

When you play well against Mumbai in domestic cricket, you are bound to be noticed. Dhillon narrates that episode: “That match was telecast live on Star Sports. So, I was extremely nervous before the game started. But, then, I have always excelled on the big stage. Basically, the bigger the stage the better I perform. I thought of the same when I stepped out to play against Mumbai. And it worked.”

Dhillon has always breathed cricket. This story, perhaps, sums up his love for the game. “My classes used to start at 8 am. But I used to land up in school as early as 6 am and start training. Then, I would usually bunk the first two hours and train some more. In the evening, I would bunk my tuition and train from 5 pm to 6 pm. That’s how much I loved cricket as a little boy.” And the results are showing!