Given their poor performance last season, not many pundits gave Bangalore Royal Challengers a chance but as it turns out, they have made the top four of the IPL.
Given their poor performance last season, not many pundits gave Bangalore Royal Challengers a chance but as it turns out, they have made the top four of the IPL.
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Kumble's outfit plays Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings in the second semi-final at the Wanderers today.
Excerpts from an exclusive interview:
Anil Kumble
How's the experience of playing for a team owner?
It's totally different. The involvement of the owner is definitely there, which is fair enough. They have put in the money and for all the support they've given us, you expect them to be involved. That's part and parcel of the IPL. It's a different concept and players are accepting it now after we have had two years of IPL.
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You have been part of the dressing room which is a sacred place. Is the dugout a completely different experience?
It's part of the game anu00a0 entertainment and exciting package of the IPL so you try to adapt and enjoy the process.
The owners sitting in the dugout... is it on for you?
It's fine. It shouldn't really matter. You can't have the same kind of rules that you have in international cricket. IPL is totally different and you should just accept it as part of the process.
How's it working with Vijay Mallya, one of the most high-profile of owners? He's known to be quite demanding...
It's been good. I have known him for a long time now. He comes and backs us and his support has been tremendous for the team. Last year was a huge disappointment and I am glad that this year we have been able to put that behind and get into the top four and hopefully we will win the tournament. Since we have got to this stage, anybody can win the tournament from here on. I am sure he (Mallya) will be happy about the team and the way we have done in this format this year. Going forward, it will only get better.
What does proving yourself in T20 mean to you?
I don't think I need to prove anything to anyone in any format. I am just enjoying my cricket and even if you haven't played any cricket, the moment you step on the ground, the competitive spirit comes out and then you would like to go out there and do whatever you have always been doing. So that's how it is. You don't go there to prove something to someone. You go there because you have been given a role to play as a bowler; as captain. You go out there to fulfill those things.
I have retired from international cricket and I have done enough to look back and be satisfied with what I have achieved.
I am just enjoying it. I am not worried about whether I am bowling at my best or should be bowling at my best. I am happy that the ball is coming out nicely.
Last season was disappointing for you and your team. Did the thought ever cross your mind that this game is not for me?
Not really. I think every cricketer needs to adapt, accept challenges. I don't think anybody gave us a chance this year to get to the top four. Having done that turnaround and having tasted all those tough periods earlier on in the tournament, it has helped us to get to where we are today.
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I am not really worried about what things are said around the team and about us. That's something which you really don't think about after playing for so long.
You've done well with the new ball, bowling the middle overs and at the end...
You have to surprise the batsmen. You have to come up with new things in T20. You can't stick to one pattern of bowling changes. Then, it becomes a lot easier to hit.
You are then setting up the batsmen to get after the bowler. You have to constantly think on your feet and try and come up with new ways of using whatever resources you have. It's all about variations. Either you vary the type of deliveries you bowl or as a captain, you vary the kind of bowlers you can use. It's all about that. You have to keep the batsmen guessing and come up with surprises, and hopefully get a wicket or a couple of dot balls. That itself puts a lot pressure on the opposition in a 20-over game.
What's the secret of success in T20?
The secret is probably enjoying it enjoying getting hit, enjoying bowling well, enjoying bowling dot balls, enjoying the challenge of playing at this level and enjoying the whole process.
If you think that it is pressure, it is too much involvement then you will not enjoy it. You need to accept certain things which you are not used to when you are playing international cricket.
Once you accept them, you go about facing whatever comes across and you can handle any situation. It is a matter of getting your mind right.
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