'Learning language of coaching from Shane, Robin, and James'

ABU DHABI:  In his maiden stint as a coach, former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel says he is picking the ropes and is excited to learn the experienced members of the MI Emirates' coaching team like Shane Bond, Robin Singh and James Franklin during the ongoing inaugural edition of the ILT20.

Describing his experience, Patel said, "This is my first stint as a coach, so I'm also learning the language of a coach from Shane Bond, who's been around for years. Robin (Singh) has his style of mentoring, James Franklin has also been a very senior coach in county cricket, so I'm trying to learn a few things, how to speak to players, how we can motivate them, keep them in the right spirits, especially in a shorter tournament like this. So, for me it's been a learning curve and a great experience," he said.

Patel, who is the batting coach of the side is very impressed with the way the young guns in the team, Muhammad Waseem, Will Smeed and Najibullah Zadran, have performed and complimented the seasoned campaigners in the Kieron Pollard-led side.

"They have been fantastic, these are not the easiest wickets to bat on with the new ball. If you look at the powerplay scores in all three matches except yesterday, we have got off to a good start even after losing a wicket. The great thing about all of them is they want to learn, their work ethics are brilliant, and they make sure to come well-prepared before the game. As a young player, that's what you can do, put in your hard work before the game, and all three (Smeed, Waseem and Najibullah) want to win games for MI Emirates," Patel said.

"As far as the younger players are concerned, I can totally relate with them because I know how it is to be part of a successful franchise like MI. There's always hype about it, and to be a part of it is not easy. I'm trying to make them at ease and tell them that it's okay to be nervous and feel that pressure, but they have to be in their right spirits and make sure that they are prepared," he explained.

MI Emirates have started the season on a positive note, winning three of their four games so far, and are all set to take on the Desert Vipers in their fifth encounter in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Commenting on the team's performance, Patel said, "It's been good so far, we have played four games, won three and lost a very tight game yesterday. They (Dubai Capitals) scored 222, and we lost only by 16 runs, so we can't complain about anything. The way we started (the tournament), playing 10 games, obviously, you can't expect to win everything. So far the season started on a very good note."

Patel mentioned that the team will look to execute their plans without worrying about the form of the opposition. The MI Emirates and Desert Vipers are currently locked at six points each, with three wins from four outings, but a superior run rate of the Vipers helps them stay at second while the MI Emirates occupy the third spot in the table.

"When you are playing against any opposition, it's not about how they are playing, it's about how we are doing our job. I believe we have a side with which if we continue to execute our plans we will not have to worry about what other teams are doing. Desert Vipers are a good side, they are having a good season but what we will be focusing on is to try and execute our plans to the best of our abilities," he said.