It's just about sinking in - Duminy

JP Duminy, the South Africa batsman, has admitted he is still pinching himself to make sure he has been bought by an IPL franchise for US$ 950,000, and says he is now looking forward to pick up some tips this month from Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya, his Mumbai Indians team-mates, who he looked up to as a young boy.

The IPL opens on April 18 in Cape Town's Newlands, Duminy's home ground, with a match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. And Duminy, who will turn 25 four days before the tournament starts, knows he could possibly become the first South African player to take the field for the Indian Twenty20 league in South Africa.

"It's very exciting to know that," Duminy told Cricinfo. "It's just such a rush though; we play our last one-day game against Australia on April 17 and the next day I play for Mumbai Indians. It would have been a lot better if there was time to mingle with the guys before, just to know everybody. But unfortunately the circumstances won't allow that, so I have to get into it as soon as possible."

However, Duminy says that the experience of sharing dressing rooms with some of the greatest players of this era will be unforgettable. "I am really looking forward to playing with those players, the likes of Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya," he said. "I looked up to them as a young boy and to be playing alongside them is a great honour. I am definitely going to try and learn as much as I can from them and get to know them as well as I can."

In fact, Duminy feels that the IPL would be a defining experience not just for the international players involved in it but also for junior cricketers in South Africa who will be watching it. "It will be a big step for the young guys and I am sure it will be a good learning curve for everyone," he said. "For a lot of youngsters, their heroes are playing in IPL and to be able to watch them live at some of the venues is going to be a great experience."

Duminy admits with an embarrassed laugh, though, that he hasn't yet got used to the price tag placed on him by Mumbai Indians, the richest IPL franchise, at the players' auction in February. "It's just about sinking in," he said. "I am still pinching myself just to make sure that I am serious about it, and realising what has actually happened. It's lovely to be able to earn such a lot of money, and hopefully I can put it to good use and hope it works right for me."

Asked to assess the pitch and weather conditions in Newlands, where IPL plays out its first week, Duminy says the ground could throw up some big scores, but only if the weather permits. "The pitch has been really good of late but normally in May we get into the winter months," he said. "It could be a little bit cold at night and we might get some rain too. But it's going to be a great experience for me to try and perform in front of the home crowd."

But will the 36-day IPL, which has been tagged as an Indian domestic competition, attract enough crowds in South Africa? "Definitely, on weekends we are going to get good crowds in," he said. "I am not too sure about the weekdays. But there has been a keen interest in the IPL around the country and I am sure that even if people don't come to the ground they will be watching it on TV."

Duminy made his international debut in 2004 but hit the headlines on his Test debut last December with an unbeaten half-century to help AB de Villiers guide South Africa past Australia in Perth. In the next Test in Melbourne, he hit a stunning 166, adding 180 with Dale Steyn, to help South Africa clinch a historic series win.

It was a timely performance which got him the prized IPL ticket in the auction that immediately followed. However, he has since returned scores of 13, 16, 17, 29, 73 not out, 17 and 7 in the subsequent four Tests, of which the last three were in South Africa. "Yes, it hasn't gone according to plan," Duminy said. "Especially, in this return series in South Africa (which Australia won 2-1). It's not a huge worry though because I am still feeling fairly confident. Hopefully, if the one-day series can go well for me, I can take a bit of confidence going into the IPL."