"I'm an international cricketer; it didn't seem right" - Josh Little on his experience as Chennai Super Kings net bowler

Ireland left-arm pacer Josh Little has opened up on the experience of being a net bowler for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL this year. The 23-year-old said that he had been misled into thinking he would get a chance to play if someone got injured, but that didn't happen.

The youngster had joined the Super Kings midseason as a net bowler ahead of the 15th season of the tournament. Speaking to Cricbuzz, the left-arm paceman said that as an international cricketer, the treatment meted out to him didn't feel right.

"I was told it was something it wasn't. I was told before I went that I'm a net bowler, and if someone gets injured then there's a chance I play. But I couldn't bowl when I wanted, I'd get two overs (in training) and think, 'Two overs, I'm halfway across the world here!' Maybe I was naive because I played in the Lankan Premier League and T10, I had a good year behind me. I'm an international cricketer; it didn't seem right."

The Irishman continued:

"When I found out I was a net bowler that was required to bowl at someone when the slingers were tired, I was like 'get me out of here' - which is probably why they'll never have me back because I left after two weeks."

Following his T20 World Cup heroics, Little could be one of the most surprisingly expensive picks in the mini-auction on December 23 in Kochi. The youngster snared 11 wickets in seven games at an average of 17.18, including a hat-trick against New Zealand.

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"I saw he was a bit tentative outside off stump" - Josh Little on dismissing Jos Buttler

Josh Little dismissed Jos Buttler in the second ball of the innings. (Credits: Getty)

Little recalled Jos Buttler's wicket in the T20 World Cup 2022 and observed the Englishman's weakness outside his off-stump. Expressing pride at beating the eventual champions, Little said:

"Being able to say we beat the team that won the whole competition, it's an amazing thing. To Buttler, I don't know, just the games I watched I saw he was a bit tentative outside off stump, unless it's a half-volley, obviously he'll put it away."

He continued:

"Even if you look at Naseem Shah bowling to him (in the final), he beat his outside edge quite a lot. I knew how strong he was flicking and pulling, so I thought I'd hang it a little wider, back of a length, and push it across him; he nicked it."

The five-run loss to Ireland was England's only defeat in the tournament as they went on to win four games on the trot to lift the trophy.