Playing in India will test my mettle: Aussie pacer Abbott

Kolkata, April 11 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pacer Sean Abbott on Saturday said it will be testing times for him to play in Indian conditions during the 2015 Indian Premier League (IPL).

Having had a emotionally tough last year after his bouncer fatally hit compatriot Phillip Hughes in a domestic match on November 25, the speedster insisted he is ready for the challenge ahead.

"Obviously it will be testing to come out here and play in Indian conditions. As a cricketer you need to do well under such conditions with the bulk of cricket being played in India," he was quoted as saying by iplt20.com.

"Being a cricketer, you have to adapt yourself and your game to any condition and I have been lucky enough to come to India over the last few years with the Australian academy," he added.

Abbott expressed confidence regarding his performance on Indian pitches, which are not conducive for pace bowling.

"We were here last year in Bengaluru as well. So I have a little bit of experience and an idea of what to expect from pitches here. It is more about doing the things that I have been doing well and continuing to do that," he said.

"I have been playing some very good cricket in recent times and I am looking forward to continue that form in the IPL. Hopefully it will hold me in good stead."

Abbott said having legendary South African pacer Allan Donald as RCB's bowling coach was beneficial for his growth as a cricketer. He said he was excited to ball alongside fellow Aussie Mitchell Starc.

"Mitch (Starc) is a very good friend of mine and I have had a few conversations with him here and there regarding the IPL. Obviously he has been playing a lot of cricket lately. So it has been tough to ask him specifically about the conditions and how to bowl and how he goes about things here," he said.

"But, he has always told me that the IPL is a lot of fun and that I would enjoy it if and when I would get there. He congratulated me when I got picked up for the RCB. He, being a part of RCB himself, couldn’t wait for me to be a part of his team.”

The 23-year-old added that he was hungry to perform in India and hopes to contribute substantially to the RCB cause of challenging for their maiden IPL title.

"I am very hungry to perform here and make a statement in the IPL. I have always wanted to do well and play the best I can and I want to contribute as much as I can for RCB. We hope (we) can play (as far as the) semi-finals and who knows, play in the final at the end of the tournament,” he concluded.