A team that can laugh well laughs longest, and has the last laugh. And defending champions Deccan Chargers show how. Team bonding is at its best in the Chargers camp and powers them on, as this newspaper discovered during a freewheeling chat with the Bulls.
Captain Adam Gilchrist simplifies the success formula. “There are variations in levels and intensity in the squad, and the trick is to coordinate it as a collective group. We’ve managed to do that pretty well. The harder you work, the luckier you get.” Gilly acknowledges the role of seniors in shaping up the side. He picked out VVS Laxman and Chaminda Vaas as players who have been inspirational.
Coach Darren Lehmann chips in to say, “All seniors help the youngsters... they were self-coaching.” Gilly quips: “Wonder what you were doing.” Laughter. It’s this sort of bantering that keeps the team going, according to assistant coach Mike Young. “Part of it (team bonding) is having a huge sense of humour. Everyone can get on each other a bit and no one loses his temper or gets upset about it.”
Talking about pulling faster ones, Herschelle Gibbs comes across as the livewire of the squad. “The biggest thing for us is to mix and match the cultures,” says Lehmann. Gilly proves it with his newly acquired repertoire — Aap ka naam kyae haiey? Aap kaise ho? Aap ki neend achchi huey — he says, Oz style. He has some Telugu lines too, like Andaaru Bagunnaraa? (is everyone well) and Namaskaaram.
The captain’s favourite song is Pehli Nazar from Race. It has turned into a victory anthem, and is played on the team bus after every win. How do the superstar seniors gell with their junior mates? “There’s no segregation, it’s an open door policy. We enjoy each other’s company,” Gilly says, and points to Y. Venugopal Rao, T. Suman and Rahul Sharma as the best dancers on the team.
The Bulls are superstitious too. Vice-captain Rohit Sharma wants to be in rooms whose numbers add up to 5. Seam bowler R.P. Singh romances the stones while Symonds tries to wear something new every match. It could be gloves, socks, anything. The Chargers’ own rolling trophy, a pink pig, which was presented to the performer of each game last year, has been replaced by a black bull this time. And the boys are yearning to go that extra mile to lay their hands on it. Charge on!
Showing posts with label gilchrist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gilchrist. Show all posts
Friday, March 26, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Deccan Chargers make aggressive statement
Defending champions Deccan Chargers issued a stern warning to their rivals as they announced their plans to go all out in IPL-3 as well.
Speaking at a promotional event in a city pub on Thursday night, Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist, sporting a horn-hat said: “Aggressive approach works. That’s how cricket is played these days — it’s attack, attack, attack.”
Coach Darren Lehmann seconded the opinion. “We will continue with the brand of cricket we have been playing. We have a great team spirit, hopefully we will come out on top,” he said.
However, both kept their feet on the ground. “We understand that last year has gone by and everyone starts on an even keel now,” Gilchrist said, adding “you are only as good as your last innings, and my last one was a second-ball duck... I’ve got to start again.”
Lehmann felt “no pressure” of being defending champions. “We don’t want to think about the past but concentrate on the future.”
He also picked out fast bowler Kemar Roach and Australian U-19 World Cup winning captain Mitchell Marsh as the players to look out for. “Marsh is a strong young lad. He is six-foot-five and bowls quick,” Lehmann said.
Gilly felt new-comers Rahul Sharma and Monish Mishra could prove a handful for the opponents. Individuals apart, Gilly attributed the Chargers’ success in IPL-2 to a great team effort. “I was part of the group that made it happen. It was not because of any individual effort, all the players were involved in the win.
Asked to pick a team for a possible bitter rivalry, Symonds said: “Maybe Mumbai Indians are a team that could be one of our bitter rivals down the track.” It may not be out of place to mention that Harbhajan Singh — prime accused in the ‘Monkeygate’ controversy involving Symonds in 2008 — and his staunch supporter Sachin Tendulkar, play for Mumbai Indians.
But there were no such emotions for VVS Laxman, who has always been a figurative thorn in the Australian flesh on the field. “I have enjoyed playing against the Australians. Gilchrist has been the most enterprising cricketers, a sportive guy who would share a drink with you after the game. I’ve played with Brett Lee and Symonds right from my U-19 days,” Laxman said.
“It’s great to play alongside these guys for the Deccan Chargers, for whom we all want to do well,” the Indian middle-order batsman added. Gilchrist supplemented Laxman’s view on team bonding when asked about his erstwhile long-time opening partner Matthew Hayden, who turns up for Chennai Super Kings. “I am comfortable with opening partners — I’ve had a few in the two IPLs as well the Champions League last year. But Haydos is an opponent and an enemy, there’s no time for him,” he said.
Well, sports and politics do not mix and Gilly is the best example of that. He has turned down an offer from the Australian Labour Party to contest the elections. “I promise I will not be in politics,” he revealed.
“I do a bit of commentary for an Australian television network and hope my relationship with the Deccan Chargers will go a long way,” he added.
Gilchrist also struck an emotional chord with the Hyderabadis when he began with “Namaskaaram. Baagunnara?, in anglicised Telugu.
He concluded with a “Shukriya,” after thanking the fans for their support over the past two years. “You all stuck with us (after the disappointing first season). Sorry, we could not visit Hyderabad after winning IPL-2 in South Africa last year. This time if we do win the title, we’ll definitely come to the city to meet you,” Gilchrist said to thunderous applause.
Speaking at a promotional event in a city pub on Thursday night, Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist, sporting a horn-hat said: “Aggressive approach works. That’s how cricket is played these days — it’s attack, attack, attack.”
Coach Darren Lehmann seconded the opinion. “We will continue with the brand of cricket we have been playing. We have a great team spirit, hopefully we will come out on top,” he said.
However, both kept their feet on the ground. “We understand that last year has gone by and everyone starts on an even keel now,” Gilchrist said, adding “you are only as good as your last innings, and my last one was a second-ball duck... I’ve got to start again.”
Lehmann felt “no pressure” of being defending champions. “We don’t want to think about the past but concentrate on the future.”
He also picked out fast bowler Kemar Roach and Australian U-19 World Cup winning captain Mitchell Marsh as the players to look out for. “Marsh is a strong young lad. He is six-foot-five and bowls quick,” Lehmann said.
Gilly felt new-comers Rahul Sharma and Monish Mishra could prove a handful for the opponents. Individuals apart, Gilly attributed the Chargers’ success in IPL-2 to a great team effort. “I was part of the group that made it happen. It was not because of any individual effort, all the players were involved in the win.
Asked to pick a team for a possible bitter rivalry, Symonds said: “Maybe Mumbai Indians are a team that could be one of our bitter rivals down the track.” It may not be out of place to mention that Harbhajan Singh — prime accused in the ‘Monkeygate’ controversy involving Symonds in 2008 — and his staunch supporter Sachin Tendulkar, play for Mumbai Indians.
But there were no such emotions for VVS Laxman, who has always been a figurative thorn in the Australian flesh on the field. “I have enjoyed playing against the Australians. Gilchrist has been the most enterprising cricketers, a sportive guy who would share a drink with you after the game. I’ve played with Brett Lee and Symonds right from my U-19 days,” Laxman said.
“It’s great to play alongside these guys for the Deccan Chargers, for whom we all want to do well,” the Indian middle-order batsman added. Gilchrist supplemented Laxman’s view on team bonding when asked about his erstwhile long-time opening partner Matthew Hayden, who turns up for Chennai Super Kings. “I am comfortable with opening partners — I’ve had a few in the two IPLs as well the Champions League last year. But Haydos is an opponent and an enemy, there’s no time for him,” he said.
Well, sports and politics do not mix and Gilly is the best example of that. He has turned down an offer from the Australian Labour Party to contest the elections. “I promise I will not be in politics,” he revealed.
“I do a bit of commentary for an Australian television network and hope my relationship with the Deccan Chargers will go a long way,” he added.
Gilchrist also struck an emotional chord with the Hyderabadis when he began with “Namaskaaram. Baagunnara?, in anglicised Telugu.
He concluded with a “Shukriya,” after thanking the fans for their support over the past two years. “You all stuck with us (after the disappointing first season). Sorry, we could not visit Hyderabad after winning IPL-2 in South Africa last year. This time if we do win the title, we’ll definitely come to the city to meet you,” Gilchrist said to thunderous applause.
