The Sri Lankan cricket legend and now the director of cricket for Rajasthan Royals, on the leadership lessons he has learnt from the cricket field
Image: Rajasthan Royals
You’ve joined the Rajasthan Royals (RR) following a disappointing season where the team finished bottom of the table. What are some of the changes you are looking to introduce for a turnaround?
Last season was interesting because it was a really close tournament. I was watching it from the outside as a commentator. It was just a game’s difference between finishing in the play-offs or finishing at the bottom. It speaks volumes for the quality of cricket in the IPL that you really don’t have much to separate the top four sides from the rest of the pack.
Although at the start of this season you have your usual suspects for the top four, our job at Rajasthan Royals is to change that and become part of that group. At this stage, you can’t make a complete overhaul—there is a structure in place and you have to work within that to fine tune it. We’ve got a lead assistant coach in Trevor Penney and some new choices at the auction. [What we’ve got to do] is set in place a culture of honest, open communication, a culture where making a mistake is absolutely fine as long as the intent aligns with the strategy, and allow the players a brand of cricket that plays to their individual as well as the team’s strength. There will be no mixed messages, and we’ll play a cricket that’s straightforward and unencumbered.
RR has a new captain, this time in Sanju Samson, who will have to lead senior international stars like Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler etc. What would be your advice to Samson in terms of approaching the role?
First of all, Sanju has to be himself. He can’t try to copy others. He’s a very mature young man with amazing cricketing abilities. Besides, he has grown up with RR, having been with the team since 2013, so he knows the dynamics between Indian and international players very well.