Cricketer Venkatesh Iyer returned to Bengaluru over the weekend, after his team won the recently concluded league. This time, it was for a new sport — chess. In an interview with Bangalore Times, the cricketer talks about the lessons he has learnt from Virat Kohli , the love he has received from fans in Bengaluru, and why he sees the pressure of representing India as a privilege. He also opens up about his love for cinema, right from being a self-confessed Rajinikanth devotee to drawing inspiration from Tamil Nadu CM Vijay’s journey. Excerpts:
Among 1.5 billion people, if you have been given the opportunity to represent India, RCB or even your state, it’s huge.
I’ve said this multiple times that I’m not just a fan, but a devotee of Rajinikanth Sir. Bengaluru team came into this season as defending champions, but a second consecutive title was hardly expected. What was it like being part of the team? It’s pretty special. People judge you by how you win, but not the effort behind it. There’s a lot of thinking, hard work, training and strategy that goes into finding a winning formula. I was intrigued to know what changed in RCB to make them such a formidable squad. I think it’s always good to know the story behind success rather than judging people based on victories and losses. The hard work and processes put in place were what made the win special. I’ve got a lot of love from the team fans, especially here in Bengaluru. I keep coming here. Obviously, it’s a cricketing hub as well, for both domestic and international. Whenever I come here, the amount of love that I get is overwhelming. Anytime I get into an Uber or an auto, if they know that you play for RCB, they treat you like a king. It also speaks volumes about how well respected cricket is in Bengaluru and how much they respect good cricket. I haven’t played a game at Chinnaswamy as an RCB player yet and it is a moment I’m really looking forward to. To be honest, that’s not pressure, that’s privilege. But it’s not entirely true that there’s no pressure at all. It depends on how you look at it. If you’ve prepared well, your ability to absorb pressure becomes better. That’s what differentiates good players and great players. That’s something I’ve learned from Virat Kohli, who thrives under pressure and absorbs it a lot quicker than others. That’s why he’s able to bring his A-game in crunch situations. For me, step one is preparation. The fear of failure will always be there, but the hope for success has to be greater. Of course. Cinema has had a huge impact on me growing up. I love to watch a lot of movies, especially Tamil movies. I’m a big fan of Rajinikanth Sir. But yeah, Thalapathy Vijay’s journey is something that has inspired me a lot too. From being at the top of his acting career to quitting it to join politics and becoming the Chief Minister of a state in his very first attempt. I feel it’s quite inspirational. So my gesture was just a small tribute to him.