TNPL 2016: Shahrukh Khan speaks about playing in front of a large crowd

M Shahrukh Khan of Ruby Kanchi Warriors addressed the media ahead of his team’s India Cements TN Premier League clash with Chepauk Super Gillies in Chennai on Saturday. Here is an excerpt from the transcript.

On preparations for the match?

The last game was bad but then we are trying to take positives from the opener. Also our batting was not that good and even in the last match it did not click as expected. The problem is that we are more worried about our bowling and fielding. Of course, we are good in those areas and can take positives but then we need to find a way to fix our batting. The first six overs are key and we aim to score runs and consolidate during that phase of the game.

On your batsmen handling pressure?

Our batsmen have experience of playing in such situations. Also the fact that this bunch has played at the Under-13 level makes it better. The batsmen complement each other really well. Playing in front of a large crowd in a live match is a learning experience in itself. Bharath Shankar, Baba Indrajith and I have the onus of shouldering the batting responsibilities. Also, Nilesh (Subramanium) has done really well which is a good sign. We aim to put on a good batting display in this contest.

Thoughts on Brett Lee’s role in the team?

I guess he’s coming! We want him and obviously it will be fun as his presence will make a huge difference. Someone like Lee motivating us from the dug-out means a lot to the team. We will probably get some pep-talk from him and he’ll know what exactly goes through a player’s mind thanks to his vast international cricket experience. So we’ll try and get some tips from him before the game.

Are you looking forward to playing at Dindigul and Tirunelveli?

The motivation of the tournament is to promote cricket in the district areas. Also, people are coming out in large numbers to watch games. We are looking forward to those games as we feel it will be a good experience. We have seen high scoring games (at Dindigul and Tirunelveli) as in comparison to Chennai. The wicket is very good and the ball is coming on to the bat. I think the batsmen will enjoy it more than the bowlers do.

Plan to contain Gillies’ batting?

There’s no such plan. In the last game 160 was not a big score. Since both teams have lost one game each it proves that T20s are a roller-coaster ride! One match you’ll be on top and in the other you’ll be down. So you can’t think about it as it’s about how we come back and prepare.

How has the response been to the tournament?

It’s been good but we’re still expecting a larger crowd (in Chennai). We want that pressure building on us as it will motivate us further!