CPL INTERVIEW WITH MALOLAN RANGARAJAN

CCNTV6

It was a day cricket fans would want to forget as both CPL matches on Sunday at the Darren Sammy Stadium were a no-result due to the inclement weather.  Barbados Royals and Jamaica Tallawahs got a point each after the morning game was abandoned without a ball being bowled.  And such was the case with Sunday evening's match between hosts St. Lucia Kings and the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

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00:00 [MUSIC]

00:10 After a disappointing opening leg in St. Lucia due to the inclement weather,

00:20 the teams now head to Warner Park for the next stage.

00:23 That's where home team St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots are hoping to shine,

00:27 with their opening game taking place on Wednesday against Jamaica Talawas at 7pm.

00:31 Malolan Rangarajan is now the head coach of the Patriots.

00:35 The 34-year-old, who was born in Chennai, is no stranger to the franchise.

00:40 >> Very, very excited.

00:42 It's also been a slightly easy transition because we've had most of our boys,

00:46 who we've retained over the last two, three years, and I've been with them.

00:50 So there isn't much of an icebreaker happening.

00:52 Knowing them very well has been very, very important, because as a coach,

00:56 when you try to go there, you try to bring in your ideas.

00:59 But luckily for me, since having spent time with them,

01:02 there wasn't much work to be done.

01:04 >> Evan Lewis is the man to captain the Patriots,

01:06 since DJ Bravo has returned to the Trinidogo Knight Riders.

01:10 Regarding Lewis's leadership qualities,

01:12 Rangarajan has given the TNT left-handed batsman the thumbs up.

01:16 >> Evan incidentally captained a couple of games in the CPL over the past two years,

01:21 and also won the 60 for us.

01:23 So he's a very, very instinctive captain, thinks about the game,

01:27 likes planning a lot.

01:28 I'm the sort of person who likes to plan things ahead of time.

01:32 He has his ways of communicating as to what he wants to do.

01:35 He knows the opponents, knows what kind of bowlers he wants to take on the field,

01:39 what kind of play he wants to play.

01:40 So he's been very, very good, and he's not new to Evan.

01:43 He's a very experienced cricketer and a very, very good captain.

01:46 >> The St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots coach is also pleased

01:49 that Dominic Drakes continues to be a part of the franchise.

01:53 He describes the Barbadian cricketer as a team player.

01:56 >> I think he forms the fulcrum of our team.

01:58 Dominic Drakes, we're very happy he came in as an emerging player for us, and

02:03 now he's an integral part.

02:04 That's something very big about the Patriots.

02:06 We're trying to change, try to identify players as emerging players and

02:10 try to make them important players.

02:11 Drakes, like you said, does a dirty job for us.

02:14 If required, bowls in the par play, ends the innings in the death overs, and

02:18 has a few lusty blows to the bat also when required.

02:21 So he's become a very, very good cricketer.

02:24 We've given him responsibility in the team as a senior player.

02:26 And what I love about him is his attitude on the field also.

02:29 He can feel absolutely anywhere.

02:31 >> The St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots had a no result from their first two matches

02:35 against TKR and St. Lucia Kings because of the rains.

02:39 Vinod Naon, ETF Six Sport.

02:40 [MUSIC]

02:50 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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