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The momentum is with RCB

A lot of good work has gone in to prepare the team better and it is bound to pay off, writes Anil Kumble

It is a good feeling indeed to have the first match out of the way and with a win to boot. Sometimes, you can prepare all you want and not get the desired result but somehow this is a different team to the one you all saw last year.

Let me make it clear at the outset that this is a different group and we have set out to achieve something and I daresay the result of our opening match is ample evidence of my claim.

In fact, on the opening day, a few of us did show that you can teach an old dog new tricks, didn’t we? Yes, even we retirees have a role to play. The T20 game may not be for the oldies but as Sachin and Rahul also showed, we can have our days too.

Better prepared

More seriously, I would be the first to admit that a few things were missing last year as far as the Royal Challengers Bangalore were concerned. But this time our preparation hasn’t just been intense but also spot on. Spending nearly two weeks in Johannesburg and playing as many as five practice matches — two against the local Lions and three amongst ourselves — gave us a good feel of the local conditions.

The time also made for a feeling of togetherness and here I would bring up the old adage it is not individual talent but teamwork that matters.

Individually too, Rahul had a point or two to prove. I have always believed that strong individuals can always re-appear and that belief was upheld on Saturday. On pitches with bounce and movement, it is technique not flashiness that helps. Believe me, if not for Rahul’s technique, the Rajasthan bowlers would have looked far more effective than they did.

I am also glad to see Rahul amongst the runs because that means that if any two other batsman among the likes of Jesse, Ross, Kevin and Robin click, we are looking at setting a serious target. And with our fast bowling looking twice as good while bowling in South Africa, as compared to India, we are on our way. Praveen’s ability to move the ball, Vinay’s effectiveness and Steyn’s pace makes for a heady combination.

As for my own bowling, I was quite intrigued with my performance. I am coming off a long break and may have retired but the moment I am back on the cricket field, ball in hand, the feeling is the same as always. And in any format, a five-wicket haul sure makes one feel that he is in the thick of things.

The momentum is with the Royal Challengers and I expect a cracker of a tournament. I would like to reiterate here that it is always good to learn from mistakes of the past and we have taken care to learn from our experiences last year.

A lot of good work has gone in to prepare the team better and it is bound to pay off.

Hawkeye Communications

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