One of the first teams to arrive in Dubai, the Royal Challengers Bangalore are set to kick off its three-week training programme from Thursday, before the Indian Premier League season 13 starts on September 19. The team's mandatory six-day quarantine period and testing period post landing will be over on Wednesday. For the coaching staff, it will be a mammoth task to get all the players "match-fit" after a forced five-month COVID-19-induced break from the game.
RCB's coaching team, consisting of Mike Hesson, director, cricket operations, and Simon Katich, head coach, have put in place an intense training schedule for the team members. The duo expressed faith in the new-look squad, with a mix of experience and youth, to give the desired results for RCB. The team had a miserable outing last season, ending at the bottom of the points table, winning only five of its 14 matches, and one match ending with no result.
Said Katich in a virtual interaction, "Our preparations have revolved around giving the players at least three weeks to get back into the routine of training their skills and getting their bodies ready for the competition so that they can build up gradually and try to minimise injuries.
“We have several split-group sessions planned initially to help give the batsmen plenty of time getting volume in after such a long layoff. It also ties into helping mitigate any risks with COVID-19 by not having the full squad training all at once either. Once everyone has got their touch and rhythm back with bat and ball, we will move into more competitive training before the scheduled practice matches and the start of the tournament," Katich said.
Hesson, too, said that the team will be eased into the routine gradually. "Sixteen of the 21 team members are already here. The remaining will join post the England-Australia series and after fulfilling the protocols put in place by the BCCI. It is very hot here, a lot of us are training or exercising in the room balconies. We cannot hit the ground running in two days. We would look to getting used to the conditions, the heat and peaking in three weeks."
Hesson is aware of how the RCB, despite having big names in the past, have flattered to deceive. He and Katich came on board ahead of the 2020 edition and worked with Kohli to create a core group of players who are match-winners and able to deliver under pressure. "We have talked a lot about having a balanced squad. We spent a lot of time before the auction creating the squad. We are aware of the history. The squad is balanced and strong in all conditions. We have players who can play fearlessly when the game is on the line,"said Hesson.
As per Katich, though, the biggest challenge for the players would be overcoming the extremely hot conditions. "Players in India are used to the heat but they have not played for so long. The mental side of the game will be a challenge - to get back into the swing of things. Besides, the team, in normal times, would have played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium which has a very good batting wicket. It won't be the same here."
Hesson admitted that one of the keys to success in IPL is consistency or stability within the team. "Simon and I are aligned on this. We have to provide a stable platform for our core [group to perform]. We have to make clear each one's role."
Both Hesson and Katich believe that players like Aaron Finch, Dale Steyn and AB de Villiers provide Kohli with necessary inputs and bring vital leadership experience that will only help him in his captaincy.
