Gujarat Titans (GT) Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki has said that captain Shubman Gill is still developing as a captain with every game and is coming up with his own captaincy style.
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00:00We've just arrived, I'm afraid, so we'll go and take a look. I haven't even walked out on the ground as yet, so it's a fabulous venue, but we must be very careful in prejudging what's transpired in the past.
00:17Let's make sure we take a look at the sort of conditions as they are now. So the team will arrive in a little while, those guys that are practicing, the coaching staff will arrive, we'll take a look at conditions, and it's best to formulate a view given what is in front of you rather than base it on what's transpired previously.
00:35Shukman Gill returning to Eden Gardens, of course he has had a passport with KKR in the past, but as a leader, how impressed are you with Shukman Gill's size, and of course the way he's leading the team, the bowler especially, and with all the field placements that he has been doing.
00:54He's been fabulous. He's growing in his, I mean, he's still a young captain in his captaincy, in his captaincy, is that okay?
01:06As far as his captaincy is concerned, he's still young in that journey. There's lots to learn, but up until now he's been quite brilliant.
01:14The connections that he's formed with his bowling group, and we saw that last year actually, he's grown into the role from one game to the next.
01:21He's sort of developing as a captain, developing his captaincy style, which is very good to see.
01:27He certainly has, like I said, good connections with all of the bowlers.
01:31He's got quite an experienced bowling attack to lean on as well, which is obviously very helpful.
01:37But, you know, he continues to go from strength to strength as far as his captaincy is concerned.
01:42Can I ask, another one, of course, you mentioned the bowling attack at the SP years.
01:49The pace attack especially has been doing well, not to forget our side.
01:55So, both have a very conscious decision to, you know, make a strong bowling attack at the option pool,
02:01because sometimes bowlers will use the tournaments and not the batters.
02:05Yeah, there is a lot of these sort of phrases that do their sort of turns, don't they?
02:12But as far as the strategy at auction, and I'm sure this is the case with all teams.
02:17All teams would, in their view, have an idea around what's the best balance we can have.
02:24And, of course, you need batsmen as well as bowlers, as well as all-rounders.
02:28And within the bowling department, you need fast bowlers, spinners.
02:31You might need somebody that can bowl with a new ball as opposed to through the middle or at the depth.
02:37So, all of those things are taken into consideration.
02:39I'm sure we're no different to any other team in that sense.
02:42Some teams might have different opinions on different make-ups and different stars
02:46and particularly different individuals.
02:48You've got to respect that.
02:50They might play a particular way.
02:52We play a particular way.
02:55And when we left the auction, we were certainly very happy with the group that we put together.
03:00And that is to say for the bowlers, as far as fast bowlers, as well as the spinners, as well as the batsmen.
03:06So, we're not coming off a sort of run of wins.
03:12We've lost two games.
03:13But that just speaks of the sort of quality.
03:17Anybody on their given day in the IPL can beat any other team.
03:21They're all quality teams.
03:22We will always respect each and every team.
03:25You think of the history as far as KKR are concerned.
03:29They've always been a strong side.
03:30They've always been strong at home.
03:32So, we'll respect that for sure.
03:34You're right in saying that it is a long tournament.
03:36And, you know, you go through phases.
03:39I don't know the statistic exactly, but it's very difficult to go through the tournament flawlessly and not lose.
03:49You try and put your best foot forward and try and give the best performance of yourself.
03:54You take some confidence from your previous performances.
03:56Of course you do.
03:57But you must look ahead.
03:59And what we're doing right now is looking ahead to facing a competitive and a strong KKR team, which we'll respect.
04:05But we're sort of confident as far as our group is concerned.
04:10But I'm sure it's going to make for a very good game tomorrow.
04:13Yeah, I think you've sort of almost answered your question.
04:43In your question itself, Ashish has been a big influence.
04:46I think Ashish has been a big influence as far as Siraj is concerned for a good number of years now.
04:52They obviously have a very good connection.
04:54But, you know, I don't want for a second to take away from all of the hard work that Siraj has done also.
05:00Of course he has all of the support of all of the coaches.
05:02And there is no doubt that Ashish has been a big influence.
05:06But we must also acknowledge the work that Siraj has done and respect that.
05:11But just a follow-up question that, I mean, when he came here, and from a coach's point of view,
05:17did he have any technical issues that needed to be rectified?
05:21No, no, I don't think so.
05:23You know, look, and selection, you made the point about losing his place in the Indian team and things.
05:28There would have been a number of guys that might have said that he perhaps should have been selected.
05:33Selection is a matter of an opinion.
05:35And those that are tasked with that job at the time made a decision.
05:39Of course you respect that.
05:40All of the players do respect that decision.
05:41As far as confidence is concerned, there is probably no better coach, I don't think, than Ashish Neren instilling some confidence in players.
05:50I might be slightly biased, of course, as far as that view is concerned.
05:53So I'll acknowledge that.
05:54But it just seems as though, you know, we've got a guy that has something to prove as far as he's obviously disappointed.
06:07He was disappointed, as any cricketer is when they're not selected.
06:11Everybody wants to play at the highest level possible.
06:14So I'm sure he was disappointed.
06:15But he's channeled that disappointment in working hard and, I suppose, sort of having a real thought about what he wants to do.
06:23And he's got a great coach in Ashish Neren just helping him as far as his performance is concerned.
06:29So long may that continue.
06:31Long may that sort of connection continue.
06:32And long may Mohamed Serraj continue to thrive.