Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens is looking forward to the prospect of making a real name for himself in the Bangladesh Premier League.

The 35 year old jets off to Bangladesh on Monday evening along with Kent colleague Azhar Mahmood before joining up with their new team for the next month, the Dhaka Gladiators.

Stevens had the option of playing for the Warriors in South Africa, but having weighed up both offers, he decided the opportunity of playing alongside the likes of Kieron Pollard and Azhar was too good of a chance to turn down:

“I decided to go with Dhaka as they were the first that came to me and it is an opportunity that could open up so many more doors. The Warriors weren’t as keen in my mind and if I went there it would have run into Kent’s pre-season and I didn’t want to miss out on that.”

“I want to have some good time with Jimmy Adams before the season starts and had I taken the Warriors offer I wouldn’t have been back until the last week of March.”

Spending the next month in Bangladesh should be good pre-season preparation for both Stevens and Mahmood, and the all-rounder insisted one of the reasons for going to the sub-continent was that he would be back in time to head off to Antigua with Kent on their ten day pre-season tour:

“We have got our fitness tests on the 5th of March and I land back in the country about 6am that morning, so I will be heading straight to the ground for that!”

“I wanted to make sure I was back in time for the trip to Antigua as it is important that we all spend some time together before the season starts in April.”

One of Stevens’ motivations for playing in the Bangladesh Premier League is the exposure it could give him as he still eyes a place in England’s One Day side, but admitted being snapped up for the Indian Premier League was another factor:

“That would be the dream I suppose. The IPL is the biggest Twenty 20 tournament in the world and is the next best thing to International cricket.”

“I would love to get involved with that, if not, I will continue to play in different competitions all around the world.”

Jetting off to the sub-continent has its’ problems and Stevens told KSN how he had been warned by friends about jetlag, but insists he can’t wait to get going with his new team-mates:

“I’ve had quite a few twitter and facebook messages warning me about the jetlag, but once I get over that, we’re all getting together on the 2nd or 3rd of February for a four day training camp, the tournament begins on the 9th and our first game is on the 12th.”

“Stuart MacGill won’t be playing for us now, but the likes of Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal could be joining up with us for the last few games.”

“I have met Kieron Pollard, Rana Naved and Alex Kervezee before, but I don’t really know them, so it will be great to have Azhar alongside me. We’ve played together for over five years now and he is going there on a rich vein of form having just won the HRV Cup for Auckland.”

“Speaking to the coach (Ian Pont), he’s pleased with the players we’ve got going into the tournament and hopefully we do well.”

Being away from home, Stevens and Mahmood will spend the next month living out of a suitcase, but the Kent all-rounder expects to be well looked after in Bangladesh:

“We’ll be staying at the Cheriton Hotel. I have spoken with Treddy (James Tredwell) and England stayed there during the World Cup and he said it’s a very nice hotel. It has got everything we need, isn’t that far from the ground where we are based and apparently everything we need is there for us.”

Kent fans wishing to keep up with Stevens and Mahmood’s progress in the tournament can do so by watching the games on ESPN and the former Leicestershire man explained how he had to persuade his other half to sign up:

“I have had to make sure my Mrs had paid the extra £10 a month to watch me! Being on ESPN I think the games start at 6pm local time, so should be on in the late morning, early afternoon in the UK.”

One of most cricketers fears of going to places in the sub-continent is how their stomach will deal with the local cuisine, but Stevens told KSN how he wasn’t likely to be using too much immodium in the next month:

“We went over to the curry house in Wingham the other night to give me a taste of it. I love my currys though, so I’ll be right at home. All I’ve got to do is make sure I don’t have too many of them!”

Keep up to date with the Kent all-rounders’ progress over the next month here at Kent Sports News.