“We should make the finals this year too” - Mahela Jayawardene

28 April, 2009 | KXIP NEWS SERVICE

What are your preparations for the upcoming season?

We have had a break after the last international series and the Lahore incident. I’ve just resumed playing about 10 days ago. We also have our Sri Lankan first class T20 tournament beginning on March 25 so that will offer good practice before the IPL. Last year was a heart-breaking loss in the semi-final.

How will you be motivating the team for 2009?

Motivation will be high in any case since this is a big tournament. We had a good season last year and built up good momentum too. The key is to take one game at a time and not think too far ahead. Prepare for the challenge at hand and ensure good energy. The team has a lot of youngsters as well and this is important. Yes, we had a bad day last year in the semi-final, but we have learned from this and will build on it.

How do you see the team shaping up for the challenge ahead?

There a few new faces too and the local players will also be charged up. We need to see how they are shaping up. Form is very important in T20 and for the international players, this is not so much an issue since they are playing continuously. The key is to utilize the resources appropriately based on the conditions we have to face. It is an interesting set-up we have. The team has a good composition with fast bowlers at the top and good support from swing and spin. The batting too, is strong and deep and the Indian players are really talented. So it’s looking good for now…

What opportunities does the IPL offer the young players?

The last season was an eye-opener. The IPL is a good opportunity for the young players to learn. They were not shy to talk to us and learn as much as they could in the short time available. We had a good team and we will continue to plan. For the young ones, they can only improve and it must be an exciting prospect for them to play alongside established players.

It is also a good way for the young players to know about the necessary preparatory drills that good players go through and how they can implement some of the good practices. It’s good to be able to interact with the talented youngsters.

It must be exciting and a different experience to share a dressing room with those you normally compete with. How was this last year and what are you hoping for this year?

I really enjoyed this aspect of the IPL… I had initially thought that this may be awkward, but once we got to know each other, we bonded and the ultimate goal became the success of the team. One has to be open-minded and willing to learn as well. It was great to see everyone contributing to the tactics and planning… that made it easier to play well. It has definitely helped us to know about how other players think and go about their job. Very enjoyable…

What are your expectations from the season? Can KXIP win the title?

The ultimate goal, of course, is to win. I always insist on taking it one game at a time. Yes, a team will have ups and downs but with the kind of talent our team has, we should make the finals this year too. We work hard and we play consistently and we should be able to go all the way.

What is it like to work with two foreign coaches now -- Tom Moody for KXIP and Trevor Bayliss for SL?

We’ve worked with Tom before when he was the coach for Sri Lanka. Trevor too, is a great guy to work with and mentally, they are both similar. That makes the experience enjoyable. I am really happy to be working with two coaches… it is exciting.

Which are the teams that pose the biggest threats for KXIP?

Every team is a threat! On their day, any team can be a handful. Remember, all teams have some very good international players and we need to treat all teams with respect.

Is revenge against the Chennai Super Kings on your mind?

We have realized the mistakes we made in last year’s semi-final. We were disappointed at the loss, but we felt good that our overall efforts were appreciated. Mistakes cost us the match and this time, we will concentrate and try to go all the way.