Page 97 - IPL 2

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In Conversation with Gayathri Reddy, Co-Owner, Deccan Chargers...

Your thoughts on Gilly, as captain.
He is amazing because he leads by example. Look at the way he plays, he inspires everyone. Everyone wants to hit sixes and fours DECCAN CHARGERS
like him and he is a very nice guy, very easy going, gels with everyone, and even when we had games that did not go our way he never
blamed anyone, he has always taken it upon himself. He knows how to get the team together and keep them motivated, which is really
a good thing, and something that not everyone can do. Owners:
Deccan Chronicle Holdings

That innings, of Gilchrist in the semi fi nal, anyone who has seen that innings say that that is one of the greatest innings? Co-Owner: T Venkataram Reddy
The way he played that day was amazing! He was on a roll. It was such a treat to watch that match and I am so glad he was on our side. Chairman: V Shankar
I was awestruck at the way he smashed the bowlers - 24 runs in one over, the quickest 50, it was great. Looking at him I knew that all
of us could mentally switch off and enjoy the match and get the Deccan Chargers fl ag fl ying high, all thinking, “This game was ours.” Captain: Adam Gilchrist

Players (in alphabetical order) :
Your foreign players, all of them, did really well for you this season?
Yes, they did. Whether it was Dwayne Smith, Andrew, Adam, Fidel, Ryan, Herschelle, every one of them. Herschelle was an integral part
of the team - his fi elding is very good, I would say that he saved us 40 to 50 runs per game just through his fi elding in games, which is Azhar Bilakhia
crucial. During the fi nals he was a great support system to have there. His rotation of the strike stabilized the game for us. Manvinder Bisla
Halhadar Das
Fidel Edwards
And, of course, knowing the local conditions always helps.
It does. I think it is thanks to Herschelle that we got a great encouragement and emotional support. We felt like the whole of Cape Town Herschelle Gibbs
was cheering for us. He is their local boy and their local hero. Ryan Harris
Doddapaneni Kalyankrishna

When you got to know the IPL was moving, what were the fi rst thoughts that ran through your head? Abhinav Kumar
I was like, ‘Great! I have never been to South Africa, this is going to be an experience of a lifetime!’ and I knew I was certainly going. As Sarvesh Kumar
it turned out, it was like being with a huge IPL family and over 6 weeks you got to become friends with everyone. India would not have Paidikalva Vijay Kumar
given us the opportunity to spend so much time together, with the same people, for such a long stretch. Being away from home made VVS Laxman
that difference. Pragyan Ojha
Venugopal Rao
What about your home fans, and the fact that you couldn’t play in Hyderabad in front of them? Rohit Sharma
That was the only disappointment. But if you noticed the TRPs, our loyal fans did see the games on TV. Clubs and pubs here went Chamara Silva
berserk supporting DC and it was like they were there. And when they came back, with the trophy, I think it took them close to 4 hours Jaskaran Deep Singh
to get back home from the airport. What an incredible reception! Harmeet Singh
R P Singh
You must have been relieved a little that you weren’t playing any games in Hyderabad because season 1 you went winless at home. Dwayne Smith
Season 1, barring two matches, we did go winless everywhere else, so, it’s nothing to do with superstition. We did win a practice match Scott Styris
here for Champions League in that stadium and it’s not like it is jinxed. Sometimes, the game just does not go your way and at the end Tirumalasetti Suman
of the day, it is a game, and someone has to win and someone has to lose. Andrew Symonds
Dwaraka Ravi Teja
It wasn’t just Adam, RP Singh had a really amazing tournament with the Purple Cap, Rohit was the U23 player and your new signings, Chaminda Vaas
the two new India signings, Azhar Bilakhia and Suman both did really well. Arjun Yadav
Everything fell into place. This year you can argue that the administration changed but the players are the same and they are the ones Nuwan Zoysa
that go out there and perform. They were really charged up and you really had to be there to see that confi dence and that energy, it Syed Mohammed Shoaib Ahmed
was amazing. RP really proved himself in this tournament. He was the highest wicket taker and everyone was calling him Purple Singh
by the end of it. Coach: Darren Lehmann

Tell us about the new team colors. Support Staff: Goolam Rajah
Well, everyone said that in Season 1 the colors were a bit dull but when you wore it, it was not so bad. But yes, the blue was far better. Mike Young Kawaljeet Singh
We were with Puma and discussing it and since the bull in the logo changed a little, we all said let’s start with a whole new thing and it Sean Slattery Steven Smith
worked. No changes on this for Season 3. Ashleigh Joyce UnniKrishnanRoyal

Any player, in any other team, that you wish was wearing the Chargers jersey? “
Matthew Hayden. Him and Adam would have been great. Sixes are singles for that man.

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