Former PBKS batter Matthew Short turned 30 last month, and after a frustrating, injury-hit year, he believes the timing is finally right for the next step in his career.
And he believes that the next step could come at Tuesday’s IPL auction.
Short has entered with a base price of INR 1.5 crore (approximately AUD 250,000) and is hoping for a second shot at the IPL after a brief stint with Punjab Kings in 2023, where he featured in six matches.
This time, he feels better equipped.
The Australian is one of dozens of overseas players competing for just 31 available slots, but says he is “a lot more ready” now than he was two-and-a-half years ago, when he was thrown straight into the IPL spotlight.
“I was probably rushed into it a little bit,” Short admitted
to ESPNCricinfo. “That was my first-ever overseas tournament, so straight into the IPL was a pretty big deal… The whole whirlwind of the IPL that first time was just like, ‘Jeez, this is crazy overwhelming,’ and I probably didn’t deal with the pressure as well as I would have liked… I sort of went away from my game.”
Since then, Short’s credentials have only grown. He has dominated the Big Bash League over the past four seasons, scoring nearly 500 runs more than his closest rival, and has captained the Adelaide Strikers for the last two years.
“Having three or four good seasons under my belt now in the Big Bash, and playing in different comps around the world, it definitely gives you the confidence… of handling pressure and playing in different conditions,” he said. “So I’d be a lot more ready for it now if selected.”
Mind Games and Mental Clarity
While Short feels physically ready, the focus now is on consistency of thought. And if the IPL auction doesn’t go his way, Short is keeping perspective.
“If I don’t get picked up, there’s always other opportunities,” he said. “Me and my wife always just say, ‘Let the universe decide.’ I’ll give it a watch and just see what happens.”
