00:00So, a very special guest with us today, a swashbuckling player, a West Indies star and
00:06currently a representative of Lucknow Supergiants in the IPL, Nicholas Murali is here with us.
00:11Nicholas, first of all, thank you very much for giving one in your mic all the time.
00:15You know, back again for the IPL and for Lucknow Supergiants.
00:19How does it feel?
00:20Yeah, it's a wonderful feeling to be back here in the IPL, especially here in Lucknow
00:24where, you know, it's like my home now.
00:27I'm really eager to get on to the cricket field and see all the amazing fans here at
00:31the IKANA.
00:32You know, you have been a consistent performer for Lucknow Supergiants.
00:36If you can see that in the last three years that you have represented this franchisee,
00:41you have kept on scoring runs in an ascending manner.
00:45So, what are your, you know, what are your plans for this season and is there any change
00:50of roles that you have for this particular season as well, given KL Rahul is not a part
00:54of Lucknow Supergiants anymore?
00:55So, if you can talk us through that.
00:57I mean, Lucknow has welcomed me with open arms and I'm really happy that they gave me
01:02that opportunity a few years ago and, you know, I've said this in many interviews before.
01:07You know, the franchise, the owners, they invest in you, they really take a risk in
01:11you.
01:12You know, the IPL goes with auctions, price tag, obviously criticism and, you know, they
01:16have welcomed me with open arms.
01:19At no point in time I was under pressure and that's something really nice, you know, especially
01:23coming from different franchises where you obviously felt pressure as well, you know,
01:27from different aspects.
01:28And, you know, LHG has opened me and welcomed me and I'm really happy that I could contribute
01:34in a way that, you know, we could win games and obviously play an entertaining brand,
01:37especially myself as well.
01:39Obviously, the end goal is to be champions and obviously to be one of the most successful
01:44franchises in T20 cricket and, you know, hopefully, you know, this year we could continue along
01:48that journey and, you know, be the champions.
01:54Talking about the champions, because we have qualified for the playoffs in the first three
01:59years we have seen, you have been consistent, but, you know, qualifying for the final or
02:04taking the next step hasn't been there.
02:06So what particular things you think that needs to be improved to, you know, reach that ultimate
02:12goal, which is to win the silverware?
02:13That's a good question because I just believe that you don't turn up and win.
02:19You know, everything is all about preparation, understanding what needs to be done.
02:24You know, LHG is a new franchise, yes, they've played for three years, they've been to the
02:28playoffs twice.
02:29Obviously, we didn't qualify last year, but I think we're heading down that road where
02:33we understood, you know, what is required, what type of cricket we need to play, what
02:39type of players we need as well, how do we actually play at our home venue, how do we
02:45be successful there?
02:46And I just feel like, you know, we are making the necessary changes, or at least we're trying
02:50to make the necessary changes to adjust to the scheme and understand what we need.
02:55So hopefully, you know, this is the start of something special, our journey continues
02:59and let's see where it goes.
03:00When it comes to, you know, something, as you say, that it's the start of something
03:04special that you hope, a new captain at the helm this time, you know, from Gael Raul to
03:08Rishabh Pant, what have the talks been?
03:10You know, I know that you have already joined the pre-season camp, any particular thing
03:14that you want to share, or what talks that have been with you, along with Rishabh Pant
03:18and other players?
03:19Yeah, I mean, obviously we can't discuss what talks are happening, but Rishabh is there,
03:25a breath of fresh air.
03:28He brings something different to our franchise, obviously, he's a special, special human being
03:36and a player as well, and we're looking forward to see how he leads us.
03:40He has our support 100% both on and off the field and it's going to be an entertaining season.
03:46You both are a quite similar type of player, you and Rishabh, you know, both are southpaws,
03:50you know, both are hard-hitting players, both have been, you both have captaincy experience
03:54in IPL and you have been an international captain as well for West Indies.
03:58Anything, you know, any particular thing that you believe from your side that needs to be,
04:04you know, rectified for you guys to, you know, take the next step this season and any advice
04:09that you will be willing to give to Rishabh Pant?
04:11I mean, I'm an open book, he knows that, he knows he can come to me anytime, I can go
04:15to him anytime as well.
04:16We have that relationship, we actually have a good relationship, so we have no problem
04:19when it comes to communication there.
04:21He has my full support 100% and I'm there, I'm there to offer whatever service, whatever
04:26the team needs.
04:27I'm there, not only me, but you know, Miller, Eden, all our overseas guys as well.
04:31Yeah, absolutely.
04:32It's been, you know, you being a pillar of Lucknow Supergiants now, there will be expectations
04:37that there will be expectations from the fan as well to, you know, do well this season.
04:42So, you know, coming back, coming just, you know, just shifting from here to West Indies
04:46cricket, we saw that the Champions Trophy recently happening and West Indies was not
04:51a part of that, which is sometimes, it's a massive shock to be honest, because given
04:55the pedigree and the quality and the class that West Indies possess, the history, it
04:59was kind of a dampened thing that West Indies was not part of that.
05:05How do you think that you guys can, you know, revert yourselves back to that, you know,
05:11that level where you can compete for the best?
05:15I mean, again, it's a journey and this journey hasn't started today, it started years back.
05:22Obviously, we're in a tough position as a niche now, but we're trying, obviously, we're
05:28trying new things under Darren Sammy, you know, new president, new directors.
05:33We're trying, obviously, new things.
05:35There's a lot of international cricket happening, a lot of T20 happening around the world and
05:39availability of players, it's obviously tough as well and that's the direction, you know,
05:44cricket is going.
05:45So, it's going to be a tough journey, even for the next couple of years as well.
05:48But, you know, the past is the past, we need to think about the present and the future.
05:53You know, that's some good questions for, you know, the directors and the people in
05:57charge of West Indies cricket at the moment.
05:59You being a brand ambassador of direct pre-match as well, how do you think they have been,
06:03you know, along this journey of West Indies cricket?
06:07How do you see themselves playing the role in West Indies cricket's development in the
06:11coming years?
06:12And you being a brand, you know, a brand ambassador of it, how do you think it's going forward?
06:17Yeah, I mean, obviously, it's really nice to have, you know, brands, you know, around
06:22cricket.
06:23Obviously, that additional sponsorship and whatever way they can help, it obviously helps
06:27in development.
06:28I think that's a big key, you know, all this development, just having that financial support
06:34as well to help whatever direction, you know, cricket board, franchise teams, individuals
06:40want to go.
06:41You know, it's all about what their dreams are, and obviously supporting them 100%.
06:45Nikola Zahir Khan is your mentor, you know, and, but although he's a top-class first bowler
06:53of Indian, he's an Indian cricket legend, but we are seeing in terms of the Lucknow
06:57Supergiants squad, three paces of your team, Avesh, Mayank and Mohsin, all are currently,
07:02you know, their futures, their, you know, IPL participation is under doubt.
07:06So do you think that is a big blow for Lucknow Supergiants?
07:09Because the season is not just a week away from now?
07:11Obviously, it's a big, it's a big blow for us as a franchise.
07:16We would have tried to build our team around these guys as well, our bowling lineup.
07:21And obviously, it's unfortunate that they, they obviously, you know, injured at the moment,
07:26but it's not about how you obviously start a tournament, it's how you finish, and at
07:30some point in time, this tournament, they will be available for us, and, you know, we're
07:35waiting for the arrival as well, and obviously, Zac being here, an Indian legend, wonderful,
07:42wonderful left-hand seamer, that role model figure, he's a perfect guy for these bowlers
07:48to learn from.
07:49Yeah, exactly.
07:50And then just next two months here, we're very, you know, educational for all of us,
07:55not only myself, but for the bowlers, it'll be nice to see him interact with the younger
08:00bowlers and teaching them.
08:01Yeah, the final question on this, you know, a word on the fans, because they come in numbers
08:05to support Lucknow Supergiants, and what are your expectations from this season in the
08:10IPL?
08:11I mean, the fans have been tremendous, even from the first year we played here to the
08:15second year, they just keep growing in numbers, and, you know, we want to entertain them.
08:19We have a decent record at home, and hopefully this year, we can be much better as well.
08:23So we're here to entertain you guys, we just need your support so we can continue to make
08:26you guys happy.
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