IPL 2019 | IPL was ideal preparation for World Cup, feels Marcus Stoinis
Marcus Stoinis has stated that the Indian Premier League is the ideal preparation for the upcoming 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, starting on May 30. He considers the return of David Warner and Steve Smith to the Australian squad as a massive squad while praising his RCB skipper Virat Kohli.
Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, who is playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 12th edition of IPL, has so far scored 133 runs in seven matches an average of 44.33 and strike of 137.11. Coming into the IPL, he was at his career best in the Big Bash League where he scored 533 runs and bagged 14 wickets which inspired the RCB management to pouch him into the team for IPL 2019.
When asked about switching from T20 (IPL) to ODI (World Cup 2019) format the 29-year-old said that he feels comfortable to switch over from T20 to ODI format and claimed that IPL was an ideal preparation for him to show his best in the upcoming World Cup 2019.
"I think it's okay for me from T20 to one-day cricket, especially with the role I would probably be playing in the middle order. And I don't think there is any better preparation than playing the IPL, in front of these crowds, with all the pressure and all the external factors that go on, I think IPL makes it one of the strongest competitions in the world," Stoinis said.
The Australian team is preparing well for the upcoming mega event starting on May 30 in England, and the team is currently enjoying a fine run of form after securing a 3-2 win against India and 5-0 despite the absence of their star players Steve Smith and David Warner. Now they are back into the team after their ban, Stoinis considers it as a massive boost for their team in having the two batsmen in place.
"It's a massive boost. Also, the fact that people stepped up in the last three-four months and we started winning games consistently. It all adds to the mix and hopefully, it adds to a World Cup-winning combination." 29-year-old said.
When asked about Virat Kohli, the RCB middle-order batsman said that it was a big pleasure in playing with him than playing against him and added that his passion and determination is admired by everyone in the team.
"I have known Virat for a while. It's probably much better playing with him than against him. Yeah, I have learnt quite a bit from him as well. His passion definitely rubs off on everyone in the change room. He is very clear, very determined, he knows what he wants to do. So it's good to watch one of the best in the world, or one of the best of all time nearly, to go about his stuff," he concluded.
