New Delhi, Oct 14 Delhi Capitals assistant and batting coach Yuvraj Singh says he has teamed up with head coach Sourav Ganguly to bring back the belief in the camp that the franchise can make the IPL playoffs.
Delhi Capitals have never won the IPL since the league’s inception in 2008, and it was in the 2021 edition when they last made the final four.
“We definitely have the ability, and that’s why Dada and I are coming in — to bring that belief back. Our first target is to qualify, but we are here to win the championship, and I don’t see why we can’t do that,” Yuvraj said in a release from the franchise.
“Just because it hasn’t happened in the past doesn’t mean it can’t happen in the future. We want to build a squad and an energy that is ready to fight, take on any opposition, and perform in any situation.”
“I want to help the boys play better cricket, perform under pressure, and build a squad that believes in itself. I’m here to put my heart and soul into the franchise.”
Yuvraj said Delhi Capitals would not have to tinker a lot with their combinations and instead look to work on their self-belief.
“At this level, everybody is skilled and brings something different to the table. But I come from a place where self-belief is extremely important,” he said.
“If a franchise has selected you and given you a position in the squad, it means they believe in you. You have to believe that you belong there. That comes through practice, awareness of the game, and playing matches. We will work on these things as a team.”
“KL Rahul is a solid player whom I’ve watched for a long time, and Tristan Stubbs is very exciting. There are also players like Sameer Rizvi and Ashutosh Sharma, who are very good hitters.”
Yuvraj continued, “We have good batting resources, but we need to work on the right team combination and make the side stronger and more versatile, with deeper batting, quality bowling, and good fielding,” he said.
Yuvraj said there was no question of thinking hard when Ganguly asked him to come aboard the coaching set-up at the Capitals.
“‘Would you be my assistant?’ And I was like, ‘I’ve been your assistant for the last 25 years, so I’ll probably be doing the same job!’ I was very happy to do it,” Yuvraj recalled.
“I’ve been building myself up over the last three to four years for this opportunity. I have worked with players individually, but being part of the entire team environment will be a different experience.”
The star Indian all-rounder said Ganguly has the idea of creating a “good team environment”, drawing the experience from their playing days.
“The best thing I learnt from Dada was how to create a good team environment. When he was captain and I made my debut, he kept us together,” Yuvraj said.
“He made us believe that we could become a great team and win tournaments outside India. He has always been like a big brother to me, whether it was helping me understand selection, mentoring me, or showing me what it takes to become a good international cricketer,” he added.
(PTI News)
