South African all-rounder Chris Morris is clear about his role with the bat for the Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) which gets underway from April 9.
While in the absence of England pacer Jofra Archer, it is evident that the all-rounder will bowl his full quota of four overs, Morris knows his primary role will be to finish off the games with the bat in the cash-rich league.
Rajasthan Royals have another star all-rounder Ben Stokes and Morris feels the duo will form a perfect pair for the Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming IPL.
"I think we have got different roles as Stokes opens the batting. He is one of the best in the world if not the best. My role is to finish off games with the bat which I hope I can do more of this year," said Morris in the virtual press conference on Tuesday.
"With the ball it's different I think he bowled a lot less in the IPL last year than he did in the previous years. But the guy has got the magic touch when it comes to cricket," he further said.
"So, you know, if we feed off each other in our different roles on the team, you know, I think we could be quite an interesting duo to come up against," Morris added.
In February, Morris became the most expensive player at an IPL auction after he was bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 16.25 crore.
Morris conceded that the price tag does add to the pressure but said in the end you have to perform well and contribute to the team's win.
"It is natural to have a little bit of added pressure when something like that has happened. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't any pressure. Fortunately, in the past I have come (to the tournament) with some big price on my head, so at the end of the day, you got to perform on the field, no matter what your price tag is," said Morris.
"You need to perform well and contribute to your team's win. You focus on playing your game and having fun with your teammates," he added.
Last month, Rajasthan Royals' Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara had said Morris' ability to finish the games with the bat will be useful for them.
"We're also glad to get Morris with us simply for what he brings to the side, both with the bat and ball. With the ball especially, his numbers across the IPLs are really good and his ability to finish games with the bat down the order is useful," Sangakkara had said.
Rajasthan Royals will play their first game of IPL 2021 on April 12 against Punjab Kings in Mumbai.
( With inputs from ANI )
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