Despite the collapse of the Indian Premier League due to COVID-19, Blackcaps bowler Kyle Jamieson says the experience of playing in the world's biggest Twenty20 tournament still had a positive impact on his cricket.
Jamieson, 26, was an expensive pick-up for Royal Challengers Bangalore, selling for a whopping NZ$2.86 million in February's player auction - a huge return, after setting his own reserve price at $142,000.
He shared a dressing room with the likes of Indian captain Virat Kohli, South African icon AB de Villiers, and Australian pair Glenn Maxwell and Dan Christian, as well as Kiwi teammate Finn Allen, before the competition was indefinitely suspended this month.
But that didn't stop Jamieson from learning, picking up nine wickets from his seven matches at an average of 24.55.
And Jamieson didn't just gain first-hand experience with the ball, sharing an unbeaten partnership of 56 runs in only 20 balls with de Villiers.
Now quarantining after arriving in England for NZ test duties, Jamieson has spoken about his exposure to some of the game's greats.
"It certainly was a pretty cool opportunity to be able to go over there and just share a change room with some of those legends of the game, to play in a different environment, and just try and soak up the knowledge from those guys," says Jamieson.
"All the staff and all the players and stuff were so knowledgeable that it can only aid my game.
"It was great to be involved, albeit there was some stuff going on on the outside. I guess the right call was made to cut that short early and be here in England."
Jamieson arrived with captain Kane Williamson and Mitchell Santner from the Maldives, fleeing India together, after the collapse of the IPL.
Now with the Blackcaps for three tests - two against England and the World Test Championship final against India - Jamieson looks forward to returning to red-ball cricket, after a diet of T20s.
Despite playing only six tests in his career - all six victories - Jamieson wants to establish himself as a 'go-to' with the new ball, with teammate Trent Boult to miss the first test against England at the very least.
Jamieson will vie with Neil Wagner, Matt Henry, Doug Bracewell and Jacob Duffy for the chance to open the bowling with Tim Southee for the first test against England begins at Lord's on June 2.
"Opening the bowling is certainly where I'd like to bowl," he says. "I've done that in domestic cricket, it's something that I'd like to do if the chance came up.
"Obviously, you've got two of New Zealand's greats with Tim and Trent there. Rightly so, they take the new ball, [I'm] third or fourth in line.
"But if the opportunity comes up to take the new ball, I'll try to take it with both hands."
The Blackcaps are currently quarantining, after travelling to the UK in separate groups. The players' ability to train will depend on returning negative COVID-19 tests three days after their respective arrivals.
The tour of England begins with an intrasquad warm-up match at Somerset on May 25, before two tests at Lord's on June 2 and Edgbaston on June 10, in preparation for the World Test Championship final against India in Southampton, beginning on June 18.
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