When Yuvraj Singh took up the job as the assistant coach of the Delhi Capitals, he was reuniting with Sourav Ganguly. The new DC coach was the man under whom his international career took its first steps and blossomed.
So, when Ganguly offered the job of being his assistant, Yuvraj had a witty response. He just reminded the former India captain that he had been serving in that role for the last 25 years.
“Dada told me, ‘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. 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, and I’m really excited about it,” said Yuvraj.
The former Indian all-rounder is set for his first role as a coach in the IPL with one of his former franchises. Having seen his former captain’s leadership up close during his playing days, Yuvraj believes Ganguly’s ability to foster unity and create a positive atmosphere within the dressing room is one of the qualities that sets him apart.
“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. 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. I’m looking forward to working with him, understanding his insights and sharing mine,” he said.
‘WE ARE HERE TO WIN IPL’
Having failed to reach the playoffs during his earlier stint with Delhi Capitals as a player, Yuvraj is keen to help the franchise turn a new page in the upcoming season. While securing a place in the playoffs is the first step, he has made it clear that the team’s ambitions must extend beyond qualification, with winning the IPL title as the ultimate goal.
“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. 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,” he said.
Yuvraj and Ganguly will be aiming to end Delhi’s wait for an IPL title and the work has already been laid out. DC have acquired Rishabh Pant from LSG and Zeeshan Ansari from SRH via trades as they let go of Kuldeep Yadav and T Natarajan.
– Ends
