How cool captains Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Faf du Plessis are steadying their IPL teams
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00:00I think Kerala always had this game, Sadiq. It's not that he had the basics right and he could play all three formats.
00:08It's just that confidence. I'm sure every cricketer would appreciate it. The moment they get the confidence, the moment they get the freedom to play, then they start scoring.
00:19And that's exactly what has happened with Rahane.
00:22Very good afternoon to all of you. I would want to throw the ball in Satish's court. Satish, we want to get started with this latest tie between CSK and KKR in which Ajinkya Rahane did very well.
00:40It looks like he has upped his game in T20 to never-seen-before levels. How do you see his evolution?
00:49I think Kerala always had this game, Sadiq. It's not that he had the basics right and he could play all three formats. It's just that confidence. I'm sure every cricketer would appreciate it.
01:05The moment they get the confidence, the moment they get the freedom to play, then they start scoring. And that's exactly what has happened with Rahane.
01:14In fact, it's not just Rahane. Whoever has been discarded from every franchisee, come into CSK and then they become a great performer. I think that's the beauty of CSK as a team.
01:35And then, I think a lot of credit should go to Dhoni to allow him to play the way and utilise his potential. I think that's where the big difference is.
01:45This is true. Coming to that, Dhoni has finally got his men in yellow in control. He has got a fantastic combination there. There is Mathisna also.
01:59Do you think he has finally got… Because RCB is on the rise and it looks like there is going to be an exciting tournament going forward.
02:09Yeah. CSK is always… I think these great teams like CSK or Mumbai, these teams who have won nine titles between them, they look for the momentum.
02:21The moment they get the momentum, they don't let it go. In that sense, I think CSK has formed quite early in the tournament.
02:31Generally, first half, they have a very slow start and then they start taking it to the mid-period. But in this year, I think they have done quite well to have a good beginning and the team has also come down pretty much. Everything is now intact.
02:49Yeah. Sai, thinking about Mohamed Siraj, this guy has got a purple cap now and he has also risen under Kohli, as we see. So has Arshdeep, for instance. They are doing fantastic in terms of the bowling department.
03:09How do you see the rise? 29-year-old young man and his rise has been also spectacular. So, if you want to comment on Siraj's performance in this IPL and Arshdeep's also.
03:23And what a performance both Siraj and Arshdeep. And it's actually good news for Team India. And one thing I really like about Siraj is that under Virat's captaincy, he is doing phenomenally well.
03:34And he is giving him the aggression that is required and exactly and he is bowling in the right areas. And that's where it actually really counts. And you can see RCB is doing well because the purple cap is also theirs and the orange cap is also theirs.
03:47Faf has got the orange cap. And in the fielding, Virat Kohli has also got 8 catches. The most number in the IPL as of now.
03:57So, I was coming to Faf actually. He has got the orange cap and recent knock of 62 vs RR. How do you see Faf's performance in this tournament?
04:10He has come with a different line of playing. He is doing phenomenally well. And especially when Virat is not performing, he takes over the mantle and he does his job with exuberance.
04:22And he is one of the best players I have seen in this tournament. And he is coming out and hitting the ball in the right areas. And also coming out even-seamless. And definitely he is a sure thing for RCB.
04:36Paul, we were reserving the best bits because you are the international amongst us. How different do you think is the role of a wicketkeeper after the advent of the T20 format, for instance? I wanted to ask you this question specifically.
04:51Yes, I think it is crucial. Obviously, Dhoni is captain and the main orchestrator of the whole team. So, as a wicketkeeper, you have the extra eyes and ears out for your team. You get the angles right, all the preparation you have done beforehand about the match-ups, about the fields.
05:10You get a feel for a guy on a different day. So, each day is unique and you play a huge role. The support of the captaincy is enormous if you are not a captain.
05:21Sure. As a follow-up on that, as a wicketkeeper, how do you train budding talent? Also as a coach for Leicester Country Club and the Mentor's Academy. I mean, how do you train this budding talent that is coming up?
05:37Well, certainly, I think coaches can help. Coaches want leaders in dressing rooms. A leader isn't just a captain. A leader is somebody that says great words, that is inspirational in themselves and that can be keeping calm at the right times, which is really, really important in big competitions like the IPL. The calm heads are crucial.
05:57And I think coaches and captains always look for extra people to add value to their team. And if you can do that as a wicketkeeper at a young age, I think that's really, really important.
06:09Paul, how do you think of the cool head? That means the moment you talk about cool head, we always associate Dhoni with that. So, how important or what kind of a role as a cool captain Dhoni has been playing?
06:34Yeah, I mean, generally before these games, you're going to have a strategy that you're going to look at. Your strategy A. That person versus that person. They're going to ball for two or three overs. If it goes well, they're going to get an extra over in. So, you've got to have plan A, plan B. It's when those don't work well that you need the ultra calm heads. Because all of a sudden then, you're being thrown into disarray and you have to have fluidity.
07:02You have to be able to be calm and know, right, who's our next death bowler? Who's the guy right now who can just create calm for us, get hit into a quadrant of the ground if we're fielding or when we're batting? Right, who now can take the responsibility and not get out for two overs to create the calm to then go again?
07:23And I think that's what Dhoni is so good at. Everybody who's worked with Faf du Plessis in the T10, he's that type of guy. His cricket knowledge and awareness of what's coming up in a couple of overs or what's happening, where they can go is crucial. You have to have guys in that dressing room. And the earlier that can happen, the better for a team who have got the mindset. They're thinking cricket all the time.
07:53We've got to get our youngsters in all cricket, everywhere around the world, thinking cricket. Thinking like a captain. Because having leadership out in the middle under pressure is every captain's dream.
08:07Paul, I want to come in with something that has been nagging me and that's a talking point about Arjun Tendulkar's debut. There's a lot of press on it. I wanted to hear your… You've seen him. He's finally debuted. How do you see the lad?
08:25Firstly, I've seen the lad work so hard at Lord's Cricket Ground in the indoor nets. Whenever Sachin's visited the UK, I've seen him several times in there. Every time I see him, he's pouring with sweat. He's a young man that's really focused on his job. Like all of us, it all takes time to be a fantastic driver. We're all worried when we first get hold of that wheel. We're all scared and we're all a bit worried about what's to come.
08:53It takes time to develop. He's going to take time to develop. You always have slight inconsistencies of youth. You don't get what you get with a seasoned pro like Ajinkya Rahane, who we are absolutely delighted here with at Leicestershire because he joins us at Leicestershire straight after the IPL and it's given him his new lease of life.
09:12We can't wait to have him as a fox in the coming few weeks. Young Tendulkar, he's got the weight of India on him, hasn't he? It's so tough for him because of dad, obviously. It's a different role he's playing. He seems to be very focused on what he has to do and very clear with his plans when he spoke to the press. I was really impressed with that. He's going to come good.
09:39You've been thrown into the lion's den. It's sink or swim for many youngsters. He's swimming brilliantly. I wish him well and it's exciting to see him move forward because it's a tough role he's got. It's a tough role.
09:53Perfect. On that note, I wanted to ask you about Harry Brooke also. What happened to him after the century?
09:59Yes, that happens, doesn't it? I keep talking about small margins. T20 cricket is the smallest of margins in all sports. Harry's high class. He's going to come back and the cream always rises to the top. I keep saying these things and it's so true. He's a match winner. You want every player in your squad to win one or two games when it's their time. Harry will come back and do that.
10:26You can't be match winning every day. That's fine.
10:30Sai, you are a fan of SRH. You lost two games this week. What's going wrong?
10:41See, if you look at the leaderboard, after today and tomorrow, the half-play stage is over. Everybody is in that stage where if they have won some, they have lost some. SRH also is there. I'm sure, like Paul was saying, Harry Brooks will definitely come back. I'm rooting for him and I'm rooting for SRH. They've got the best team on paper.
11:01Unfortunately, they have not been doing well. Today, I think they are meeting Delhi Capitals. Once they meet Delhi Capitals, the winner of them goes to… I think they will be having six points. It is a challenge. They are yet to come back as a team. The second stage of the IPL will probably bring them up the leaderboard and probably to the payoffs.
11:23Hopefully. Satish, I wanted to ask you about Mumbai Indians. They have been struggling to gain momentum. Five-time title winners. What do you think is going wrong for them?
11:32Actually, Mumbai had a decent run before this loss against Punjab, I think. That's where they lost one game after four games. I think, comparatively, if you look at last season, I think Mumbai is in a far better state than what they are last year.
11:55So, I think there is not much of a real trouble for Mumbai. In fact, taking on your question, I'm going to ask Paul about this next one. Paul, did you watch that game between Punjab and Mumbai? How impressed are you with Sam Curran's leadership skills for Punjab?
12:14If I'm being brutally honest, I didn't see a lot of it. I saw quite a bit of the game yesterday. The Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai, unfortunately. But I was just pleased that young Roy got some runs finally and came to the party, even though he has bricked his leg, sadly.
12:32Also, I wanted to talk a little bit about players like Shubham Gill and Sanju Samson. You must have seen their games. How do you see those boys? Paul?
12:51Both high-class. Gill, for me, is exceptional. A player who has great grace, has power and grace. He's already a star now, but I think his numbers are going to go through the roof in time. I really watched closely because I saw him at close quarters when India were based at Leicestershire last year.
13:17It was incredible to see them up close and how hard they work, how much work they put in on and off the field. The communication together as a group was outstanding. Gill, I think, is a real leader in the future. I really do.
13:30Sai, you have seen Devon Conway's game, CSK vs Sunrisers Hyderabad. Were you impressed by his game?
13:45Definitely. He is giving Faf a run for his money for the orange cap. That's one thing I really like about Dhoni and his team. He is playing by his strengths. He does not have a very strong bowling team except for Pratik Rana and now Akash Singh.
14:05He is really marshalling his resources and playing to his strengths. And Ajinkya Rahane is having the last laugh. He is coming back with a vengeance after being dropped. He is coming back and he is playing in innings of a lifetime. I think Paul should be lucky that you have taken him.
14:21Paul, a final question to you. We have seen this crop of young lads like Rinku Singh and Siraj and others come basically from these second tier towns in India earlier because the nature of the game was such that it was always a very urban kind of a game where people would come from really educated elite classes.
14:43Now you have seen people like Siraj and Rinku Singh who come from these very small towns and they do exceptionally well. How do you see this new trend and how do you think IPL is responsible for bringing out this talent in this way?
14:59Firstly, I think it is absolutely wonderful. Being a Cumbrian farmer's son myself from a little tiny village, I see so much similarity. They have to work a little bit harder. They have got to do more travelling. They need so much more support from the people around them to get them there.
15:15The IPL is a world-class spectacle that inspires everybody. It is not just the young kids in India. The whole world is massively inspired by the IPL. It is wonderful to see. I am involved with a GMR Mentors Academy in Dubai and we are trying to really improve grassroots cricket there.
15:41In Dubai, we are having world-class mentors with the likes of Sehwag, Michael Vaughan, Shamim Devas, Nida Dar. Kids doing their school curriculum and making sure that we are doing a real holistic cricket development with them as well. Physical, individualised sport, nutritionist, psychology and all those things you don't get out in the country.
16:03It is really important that IPL tries to venture out into all these country areas as many as they can and give great support as we are giving with our GMR Mentors Academy in UAE. It is having that holistic support from IPL in so many areas. That would be a wonderful addition to me to really support cricket all around India.
16:29Wonderful. Thank you very much. And Sai, final note. Now that we have the points table, CSK has 10, then there is RR, LSG, etc. How do you see it going from here?
16:39You have asked a very tough question. I still root for SRH, RR, Gujarat Titans and RCB. These are my four choices for playoffs. RR is also doing pretty well and the last match against RCB, RCB came out in flying colours. I am still hoping for the same. Keeping our fingers crossed, anything can happen. You never know till it is over.
17:09Thank you. Thank you very much. On that note, Satish, are you back with us?
17:12Yes. Sorry, I had some technical issues.
17:16No worries at all. We wanted to know your final thoughts before we wrap it up.
17:20Basically, I am pretty happy with how things are panning out right now because the top five which I kind of selected are there in the top right now. Yes, Punjab was iffy because they had the tendency of not making it but they have shown their consistency right now.
17:41But my only worry is Rajasthan because they are doing well and they are now slipping. I think there are a couple of losses now. But they have the team. They are probably the best team. And I am sure… By the way, let's wrap it up before asking. Today's game, Saiva, who is your bet? SRH vs Delhi?
18:03No questions asking this. It's a straightforward answer. It has to be SRH. And Delhi looks a very depleted lot, unfortunately.
18:12And Paul, your thoughts on today's game?
18:16Yeah, I think Delhi is struggling. So, yeah, I think it's about momentum so much in sports and Delhi at the moment hasn't got any.
18:25Yeah, but last game, since they won, I am still trying to root for David Warner. I will try to support him because he has shown some resistance. He is sort of coming back and we are doing well.
18:40By the way, before we wrap up, I think today Sachin Tendulkar has turned 50. So, I think we have to wish him a happy birthday as well.
18:48Very happy birthday to the little master.
18:51He has got his birthday gift with his son playing the IPL.
18:55Absolutely.
18:56Thank you very much. Thank you, Paul. Thank you, Sai. Thank you, Satish.