Journey of Gujarat Lions has been exciting so far: Bansal
adapt with the team? The response from players has been extremely positive. We had a dream debut season by finishing at the top of the table. It was because of the energy, charisma of all the players both on and off the field. We’ve all become good friends. The support from everyone has been overwhelming and the team is hungry, pumped up and raring to go. Captain Suresh Raina is keen to improve on aspects we fell short on last year and personally I am looking forward to this year with a lot of excitement and optimism.
Having experienced players like Raina, [Brendon] McCullum, Ravindra Jadeja and a fantastic coach like Brad Hodge, does add a lot of value. It makes your job much easier.
What was your connection with cricket before you became a franchise owner? I am a big sports enthusiast. I have enjoyed playing squash, football, table tennis and swimming. I have followed cricket like any other youngster in India. I haven’t really played much cricket. Intex as brand has been sponsoring various cricket tournaments and that brought me closer to the game.
What is your objective when you buy a player as you went for some top players? Being new entrants in the IPL tournament, we went into the auction with a clear mindset of having a balanced team. IPL demands players to be fearless and aggressive. The idea was to have a strong core team that we achieved via the first players draft. Along with the core team, our choice of 19 more players consists of a young and energetic talented pool. The entire pack have helped build a formidable team that is worth watching.
How satisfied were you with the performance of the team in 2016? We are extremely satisfied with the performance in 2016. Our team did very well and the entire team of Gujarat Lions deserves the credit for it. Right from the day at IPL auction to our last home game, our entire staff did a fantastic job. Raina led the team beautifully during the course of the season and definitely spearheaded the team with example. Hodge and Raina were the ones who took most of the decisions during the auction. I trusted their cricketing wisdom and went along with it.
What did you learn from the experience and what needs to be done to make the team a winner? We were quite happy and satisfied in what we achieved last year. We had a great overall team performance. Bowling and fielding departments are the areas where we need to improve. Therefore, if you noticed,
We are always open to associating with new age marketing platforms. Being a big sports enthusiast myself, I believe it is a great way to communicate brand value to a mass audience. We are open to partner and explore new opportunities to associate with more sporting leagues.
How much has your parents and also the UAE-based uncle Sanjay Bansal encouraged you? My parents are my biggest inspiration and are living examples of assiduousness, perseverance and stellar achievement. My father who built the company is a man of substance and has taught me that hardship is necessary for success. I attribute much of my personality to my mother who has ensured (that) my sister and I grow up in a balanced, down to earth environment.
My uncle teaches me new tricks of the trade each time we meet. In fact, the UAE is a country
IPL is all about new talent and enthusiasm. Chirag Suri is a young lad and has performed quite well for his national side (UAE). He is an aggressive opening batsman and is quite focused and dedicated to his game.
We met Chirag during last season. He managed to impress the team with his aggressive and fearless batting skills. The credit for getting him on-board goes completely to the team’s coaching staff. They continuously monitor talents across the globe that can be a part of our team mixture. We are a team who has always catered to young talent and signing Chirag this year speaks volumes about the team beliefs and objectives.