Star Sports show IPL Finals has been taking fans back to the finales of the last 12 editions of the cash-rich league and Parthiv Patel recalls his time at Chennai Super Kings during the 2008 campaign on a special watch-along of the final.
He said: “Team meetings used to last for 2 minutes. In the 2008 final, the CSK team meeting led by Dhoni lasted for 2 minutes and I am sure it lasted for 2 minutes in 2019 also. Dhoni was always clear in what he wanted from his players. I learned a lot in 2008 from watching players like Michael Hussey, Stephen Fleming and Mathew Hayden, how they get ready for big matches and how they prepare.”
Commenting on the change in planning, Parthiv said: “IPL has changed a lot. There are more tactics, analytics and strategies. We used to aim for 30 to 36 runs in the last 5 overs of batting. Now scoring 50 to 60 runs in the last five overs of the first innings is the new normal.”
Parthiv went on to add that the skipper was always clear as to what he wanted from his players. “Dhoni was always clear about his team combinations and the role each player had to play in the squad.
“The RR team in the 2008 season played like a group of 11 players. It was never a team of individuals and that is why we took them seriously. They were never the underdogs.”