Shoaib Shaikh played two games with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2009, but didn't bat in the first match.

"He bowled me a flipper outside off-stump and I just cut him for a boundary," Shaikh said when quizzed on the moment on Wednesday.

"It was a lot of pressure on me and facing the legend leg-spinner Shane Warne, I was really nervous, but I backed myself and I just saw the ball and not the bowler (laughs)."

The classy right-hand batsman's team-mates included Brendon McCullum, Sourav Ganguly and Brad Hodge.

Now 33, Shaikh also spent time in Mumbai's first-class squad, but wasn't able to force his way in, with Sachin Tendulkar and others in his way.

He played 12 matches in the shortened form though, called List A, racking up 425 runs at 35, while he boasts a century in 18 T20 games for Mumbai.

"Because he's got so much experience and how travelled he is and shared the dressing room with so many international players, we're hoping he's going to be able to bring those experiences that he's had to the table," New City coach Akki Murthy said.

"He's played with the stalwarts of Indian cricket and is technically very sound. He likes to bat in the top order and try and take control of the game."

Shaikh will be the assistant coach to Murthy.

"We believe he's going to lift the youngsters from boys on the park to men," he said.

The Phoenix will boast a young team as it looks to build on its one win wooden spoon season.

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"It's a simple game and the main thing is to work hard, the harder you work the easier it gets," Shaikh said.

'I followed Sachin Tendulkar because he's my idol from childhood and I was really lucky to share a dressing room with him and he always told me there's no substitute for hard work."