Vijay Shankar, whose undefeated 24-ball 51* was one of the key cogs of Gujarat Titans wheel as they registered a seven-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday, hailed the positive culture inside the dressing room. Applauding the team management for the unwavering support and encouragement, Vijay felt that it was the chief reason behind the Titans’ continued success. Playing just their second season, the Gujarat franchise has already established itself as one of the powerhouses in the Indian Premier League.
“The team management plays a major role in keeping everyone in a very good space,” said Vijay at the post-match press conference. “We stick together and the amount of practice that we do is unbelievable. It’s not that other teams don’t do but we keep doing it for hours and hours. It helps us to get out of difficult situations and there will be difficult situations in IPL and T20 cricket. It’s about being together and communicating properly,” Shankar told Cricbuzz.
“They (team management) keep us in a really good space, that doesn’t mean just giving us what we want but doing the right things. In practice, we don’t just turn up, practice and leave. We practice with a purpose. Which is very important. They give us clarity, define roles and people are ready to go out and do it for the team. It’s a very special team because it’s not just the players but also the support staff and even the net bowlers. Everyone deserves credit. That is the positive vibe that is needed.”
Shedding more light on the team culture, Vijay told how Rashid Khan was constantly in the ear of his fellow countryman Noor Ahmad despite the experienced campaigner having a rare rough day with the ball himself. While Rashid was put to the sword, Noor bowled a fantastic spell and had an economy of under six runs-per-over.
Vijay Shankar's counter-attacking 5️⃣0️⃣ ensures #GujaratTitans keep their perfect away record intact 💯
The defending champions also go 🔝 of the #TATAIPL points table!#KKRvGT #IPLonJioCinema #IPL2023 | @vijayshankar260 pic.twitter.com/uLpd5RYmgW
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) April 29, 2023
