News
Wed 7 May 2014, 12:00 am
Summary
RR mentor talks about the RR way of approaching the IPL
The Rajasthan Royals braced themselves for a range of questions during a media interaction at Ahemdabad on Wednesday. During the course of the Q&A, RR mentor Rahul Dravid, captain Shane Watson and a few others spoke about the team’s bond and willingness to nurture young talent in the IPL. Watson thanked the team for giving him the chance to lead the side and learn a lot more about the game. "I loved it when I was given the opportunity to become captain of the Rajasthan Royals, and it is an honour to lead a side that is full of young talent. It is a big learning environment and I am learning from some of the best players of the game, like Rahul, who knows how to get the best out of every player. The best thing about our team is that we don't have many coaches, like one for batting, one for fielding, one for bowling, etc. The Royals have an environment that helps players grow and get better.” When asked if the team likes its new home venue, Watson replied, “We have had an amazing time in Jaipur, but we are making our home base here in Ahmedabad. The crowd was amazing the other day and we had good support. It is our duty to play the brand of cricket that the public enjoys, and hopefully, by the last game here, we will get a huge amount of support by playing the kind of cricket they want to watch.” Meanwhile, Rahul Dravid was also hoping for support from the local fans. "Ahmedabad has always proved lucky for RR in the past. We have a good record here and the fans here are equally passionate about the game. I am sure that local fans will see RR as their own team as Ahmedabad doesn't have their own team in the IPL. I hope that fans will support us in the upcoming games." Dravid also reserved some special praise for Pravin Tambe, whose story is nothing short of a fairytale. “Pravin Tambe has spent close to 20 years playing cricket without getting recognition or glory. To see his success is phenomenal not only because it is a great story, but also because of the person he is. He has been a great inspiration for a lot of us in the team. The way he goes about his business even at this age is brilliant. Even at this age, he is willing to learn and it is good to see him play the way he does for us. He is an integral part of our team.” Rajasthan Royals are now placed third in the points table, but for them it is the attitude of their players that matters more than results. “We are at the halfway stage and it is a good position to be in. We have played good cricket, we have won some close games and the team has shown the fighting spirit that we are known for. That is the heartening thing to see, that kind of attitude, irrespective of results, in all the seven games,” Dravid said.