Former India left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati has said that if an IPL franchise wants to win trophies, it needs to play like a unit, a value which he found missing during his tenure with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Jakati, who began his IPL journey at the Chennai Super Kings, went on to join Bengaluru in IPL 2014, but he did not get many opportunities there and played just one game in his first season there.
Jakati was part of Chennai’s 2010 and 2011 IPL-winning sides and shared his experience at Bengaluru, which was different to his previous team.
“It’s a team game. If you want to win trophies, the team needs to play like a unit. 2-3 players cannot help you win the trophy. Chennai had a strong group of Indian players and some decent foreign player,” Jakati said while speaking to Sportskeeda.
“There was a huge difference as far as team management, dressing room atmosphere is concerned. Players were very good, but there was no camaraderie, the players did not gel properly,” Jakati added.
The former India spinner, who picked the important wicket of batting legend Sachin Tendulkar in the IPL 2010 final, said that the Chennai management looked after their players which was a big difference between them and Bengaluru.
“As I said, the role of the team management is quite significant. Chennai’s management was very good actually. They looked after their players nicely. These are the small things which make a big difference,” Jakati said.
Bengaluru have banked on ace India batter Virat Kohli among home players and have released the likes of KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Mohammed Siraj and Yuzvendra Chahal over the years.
Meanwhile, Kohli has backed skipper Rajat Patidar to lead the team for a long time. The former, who has been with Bengaluru since IPL’s inception in 2008, led the team for more than a decade and remains its face.
Patidar has succeeded Faf du Plessis as skipper with the Protean moving to the Delhi Capitals this season.
“This guy is going to lead you for a long time. He is going to do a great job. He has got everything that is required (to succeed),” Kohli said while speaking at the RCB Unbox event on Monday.
