TNPL 2017: We are being motivated by VB Chandrasekhar and Muttiah Muralitharan, says VB Thiruvallur Veerans all-rounder NS Chaturved

VB Thiruvallur Veerans all-rounder NS Chaturved addressed the media in Tirunelveli on Thursday. The Veerans will take on the Dindigul Dragons on Friday.

Do you find any difference in the conditions here?

Chaturved: The conditions have improved and the wicket is much better. We can’t gauge it completely because this is the initial stage of the tournament, but we will know more as time passes.

Is there anything in particular that the team has worked on after the last match?

Chaturved: I think our preparations had more to do with the mental side of the game. As soon as we discussed the match, we all felt we fell short in the mental aspect. So everyone has realised that over the past two days and I think we will put up a better show tomorrow.

Tell us about your next opponents, the Dindigul Dragons?

Chaturved: They are an experienced side and we are aware of that. More than concentrating on their game, I think it is important for us to know where we are strong and how we can approach the game better. If we do that, we will be able to get ahead in the game.

What words of advice did team owner VB Chandrasekhar share with you after the match?

Chaturved: As everyone is aware, we are a very young side and we don’t have very experienced players like the other teams do. So, we need a bit of motivation. We have been getting a lot of that from VB Sir and Muttiah Muralitharan Sir. We have been getting motivational talks, and we are feeling mentally better.

How has it been for the young group to work with Muttiah Muralitharan?

Chaturved: He is a legend of the game and has played for more than a decade. He knows how the game has transformed from the 1990s to this date. He has been a part of the Indian Premier League as well. He brings a lot of calmness to the team. He never panics, and guides us really well. Even we if we ourselves know we have made a big mistake, he never points it out but says that we can fight our way back into the game. So, that calmness really helps us. We are looking forward to having more sessions with him.