Insighful interview with Darren Berry about the IPL

For those of you that don't know, Darren Berry is an old mucker of Shane Warne's who was the director of coaching for the IPL champions Rajasthan Royals.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/353445.html



'There was this unique sense of camaraderie among the Royals. You seemed to be able to make the players believe they were one family?
I believe that was the difference between us and the rest of the sides. It's an immeasurable thing but it was important. During a mini-break in mid-May, when some of us foreigners went to Goa to relax, Asnodkar, who is a native, invited us to have dinner at his family home one night. Warne, Shane Watson, Graeme Smith, myself and Snape got into a car and drove 45 minutes to Swapnil's house. His parents were there along with his grandfather, who came up later and said, in Hindi, "I can die a happy man. Shane Warne sitting in my lounge room ..."

When Yusuf Pathan was selected for India, we all gave him a standing ovation because we all felt part of it - we felt that this tournament launched him to higher levels.

There was Zahir, our bag man. He lost his mother during the tournament, but he stayed on with the side. We wore the black armband in respect. He was important, too. Before leaving to go home he came to my room crying.

You can't quantify emotions and passion in people. It all has to do with trust, honesty and respect, and you only get that if you treat people fairly, evenly.'







Your franchise owners were more or less hands-off. Did that make a difference?
I can't speak highly enough of them. Manoj Badale made it clear from the start: "Warne, Berry and Snape - you sort out the cricket, I'll sort out the business. Our lines will not cross." It all comes down to trust. That was our strength. When I read about some of the other franchises, it didn't seem they had the same unity.







Some touching and insightful things there. Helps understand why they were the best team in the tournament, despite supposedly having the weakest squad on paper.

Indeed this is the sort of things of culture I want to see drive the Indian Cricket team and why somebody like Berry is head and shoulders above a highly paid Greg Chappell

A culture of team first, plenty of youngsters with a great attitude supported by some experienced hands.

Josh Carney wrote:Indeed this is the sort of things of culture I want to see drive the Indian Cricket team and why somebody like Berry is head and shoulders above a highly paid Greg Chappell

From what i've seen of Dhoni, he appears to be of the 'all for one and one for all' mentality, so perhaps they're getting on the right track. In fact, I think one of the main reasons Dhoni wanted Ganguly and Dravid out of the ODI squad was because he wanted to remove the atmosphere of 'hierachy' in the squad.

I don't think "Dravid" would fit that bill. He can be a team man, but his usefulness in ODI's is over that would be the main reason. Plus any new Captain would have some level of insecurity if there are several ex-captains with egos to manage.

"I can die a happy man. Shane Warne sitting in my lounge room ..."

I like this line as providing an insight into how zealous the average Indian fan is.

Red wrote:"I can die a happy man. Shane Warne sitting in my lounge room ..."

I like this line as providing an insight into how zealous the average Indian fan is.

What's zealous about that remark? A hell of a lot of cricket fans the world over would probably say the samething in the same situation.

(Especially Hilda! )

eowyn wrote:

Red wrote:"I can die a happy man. Shane Warne sitting in my lounge room ..."

I like this line as providing an insight into how zealous the average Indian fan is.

What's zealous about that remark? A hell of a lot of cricket fans the world over would probably say the samething in the same situation.

(Especially Hilda! )

Um, I doubt Warnie would be actually sitting.

warnie is truly TGM

Josh Carney wrote:Indeed this is the sort of things of culture I want to see drive the Indian Cricket team and why somebody like Berry is head and shoulders above a highly paid Greg Chappell

A culture of team first, plenty of youngsters with a great attitude supported by some experienced hands.

Didn't Chuckles make a rude remark about India the other day ...something about not wanting to be there ...that prompted an article from Sunny(?) ...

taipan wrote:

eowyn wrote:

Red wrote:"I can die a happy man. Shane Warne sitting in my lounge room ..."

I like this line as providing an insight into how zealous the average Indian fan is.

What's zealous about that remark? A hell of a lot of cricket fans the world over would probably say the samething in the same situation.

(Especially Hilda! )

Um, I doubt Warnie would be actually sitting.

TBF, they didn't have the weakest squad, Mumbai, Bangalore were much worse. All the locals hit above their weight and that clinched it for them.

embee wrote:

Josh Carney wrote:Indeed this is the sort of things of culture I want to see drive the Indian Cricket team and why somebody like Berry is head and shoulders above a highly paid Greg Chappell

A culture of team first, plenty of youngsters with a great attitude supported by some experienced hands.

Didn't Chuckles make a rude remark about India the other day ...something about not wanting to be there ...that prompted an article from Sunny(?) ...

would not surprise...chuckles was an adept keeper...inc of feet in mouth

Chuckles ...the bad side ...and Sunny the Balanced

embee wrote:Chuckles ...the bad side ...and Sunny the Balanced

makes me almost fond of chuckles...sunny is surely out there where the buses do not run

doremi wrote:TBF, they didn't have the weakest squad, Mumbai, Bangalore were much worse. All the locals hit above their weight and that clinched it for them.

Kolkata's batting was way too weak especially since the time McCullum left.

SG wrote:

doremi wrote:TBF, they didn't have the weakest squad, Mumbai, Bangalore were much worse. All the locals hit above their weight and that clinched it for them.

Kolkata's batting was way too weak especially since the time McCullum left.

McCullum only had one good knock

SG wrote:

doremi wrote:TBF, they didn't have the weakest squad, Mumbai, Bangalore were much worse. All the locals hit above their weight and that clinched it for them.

Kolkata's batting was way too weak especially since the time McCullum left.

Exactly. They were counting on Gayle, Hafeez, etc., to step up, which they never did. Hafeez specially was a big disappointment.

taipan wrote:

SG wrote:

doremi wrote:TBF, they didn't have the weakest squad, Mumbai, Bangalore were much worse. All the locals hit above their weight and that clinched it for them.

Kolkata's batting was way too weak especially since the time McCullum left.

McCullum only had one good knock

...but probably the other thing that might be remembered out of the whole tournament

Red wrote:"I can die a happy man. Shane Warne sitting in my lounge room ..."

I like this line as providing an insight into how zealous the average Indian fan is.

Call me "zealot"...

I think though that one could credit Warne with getting the best out of the young, unheard of Indians. His confidence in them and the team spirit he engendered in the squad helped them. In contrast, some of the other franchises seemed a to be a bit desultory in attitude and demeanour.

It might be wise in hindsight to cruelly dissect Bangalore but in reality they cost a lot and their highly fancied charges didn't deliver for whatever reason. If it was because guys like Kallis are intrinsically unsuited to T20, you have to criticise whoever selected them.

eowyn wrote:

Red wrote:"I can die a happy man. Shane Warne sitting in my lounge room ..."

I like this line as providing an insight into how zealous the average Indian fan is.

What's zealous about that remark? A hell of a lot of cricket fans the world over would probably say the samething in the same situation.

(Especially Hilda! )

Fairly modest ambitions in life then.

doremi wrote:

SG wrote:

doremi wrote:TBF, they didn't have the weakest squad, Mumbai, Bangalore were much worse. All the locals hit above their weight and that clinched it for them.

Kolkata's batting was way too weak especially since the time McCullum left.

Exactly. They were counting on Gayle, Hafeez, etc., to step up, which they never did. Hafeez specially was a big disappointment.

To count on Gayle is OK, but how can anyone count on that hopeless Hafeez? Is he a Twenty20 or even an ODI player? Don't think he is any better than say Chopra. Its mystery to me why the hell did SRK and Ganguly went for dud bats like Chopra and Hafeez especiallly since they knew that McCullum was going to leave after 4 matches.

taipan wrote:

SG wrote:

doremi wrote:TBF, they didn't have the weakest squad, Mumbai, Bangalore were much worse. All the locals hit above their weight and that clinched it for them.

Kolkata's batting was way too weak especially since the time McCullum left.

McCullum only had one good knock

The runs he scored in THAT innings was probably more than the likes of Chopra and Hafeez together managed in their entire IPL sojourn.

SG wrote:

taipan wrote:

SG wrote:

doremi wrote:TBF, they didn't have the weakest squad, Mumbai, Bangalore were much worse. All the locals hit above their weight and that clinched it for them.

Kolkata's batting was way too weak especially since the time McCullum left.

McCullum only had one good knock

The runs he scored in THAT innings was probably more than the likes of Chopra and Hafeez together managed in their entire IPL sojourn.

So, still only gave them one win

Which was the team that had Chanders, Kallis and Dravid.

Now that was an overpriced team which was always going to stuggle in T20.