I am good at the death because I practise bowling at Dhoni: Dwayne Bravo

There was a pulse poll during one of the games in this year’s IPL: Who is the showman of the tournament? In a result that would surprise nobody, CSK’s Dwayne Bravo won the poll convincingly, getting more than 50% of the votes. The current holder of the purple cap is also having his own competition for the best catch of the tournament with a few stunners accompanied by his trademark dances. Bravo, with his Caribbean flair, has taken this year’s IPL by storm. “[West Indians are cool and relaxed] because that’s our culture,” said Bravo in an interview with DNA India. “We are laid-back, happy and fun-loving people just like Indians. That’s why the West Indian players get a lot of love from the fans here in India. We enjoy playing here and we enjoy entertaining the fans.” [caption id=“attachment_2227534” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Bravo, the showman, has been leading CSK’s charge this year. Photo: BCCI[/caption] Having already won the purple cap in the 2013 edition claiming 32 wickets, Bravo is once again leading the race this year with 19 wickets, despite being been repeatedly used in the death overs. Where bowlers find it hard to even contain the batsmen, let alone take wickets, the West Indian has thrived. The secret, he says, is bowling in the nets to the man who he calls “the best in the business” – Mahendra Singh Dhoni. “I practice with MS [Dhoni]. I try to contain him in the nets. If I can contain him, I can contain anyone,” explains Bravo in his interview. During a time when Kevin Pietersen has featured prominently in the news for his run-in with ECB and Andrew Strauss, Dwayne Bravo makes no bones about not featuring in the Test side for West Indies. But he reiterated his full availability for the limited over versions, should the board and coach decide to call him up. In an interview with the Times of India, Bravo said, “I am still committed to West Indies cricket but selection is not in my hands. I want it to be known that I am 100% available to play the shorter formats.” Bravo, who says he has been in contact with the current crop of young West Indian stars, stayed up late nights to follow their exploits in the test series against the much-fancied English side. “I enjoy sharing my experiences with them. We never lacked talent. It’s just that other things outside cricket are killing our cricket,” laments Bravo. Not being selected for the World Cup squad hit Bravo especially hard but he reveals he has utilised those two months to train hard for the IPL and reconnect with his passion for music. Chennai Super Kings are now clearly reaping the rewards for Bravo’s enforced break. You can read the full DNA interview here and Times of India interview here.