Ahead of the 2019 Indian Premier League(IPL) season, Paddy Upton says that he has gained more experience in top-level coaching from the last time he was with Rajasthan Royals.
Upton, who had a successful stint previously with the franchise, had coached Royals for four years which included a semi-final finish in the 2013 season and so also the 13 consecutive games' winning run on home shores.
"I am very excited about it for a few reasons. One is that I am coming back to the Rajasthan Royals, an environment I am very familiar with, and is very fond of. I have high regards for the way the franchise is set up and the way the team is run," the well-renowned coach was quoted saying in an interview with Sportstar, "I come back with more experience. When I started with the Rajasthan Royals, that was the beginning of my T20 head coaching career."
"Now, I am coming back with 12 seasons of experience. I am really happy because the team itself now is more experienced, they have got someone like Zubin Bharucha, who has been with the team whole time and is continually evolving, improving the system. There’s a lot to look forward to."
Upton had Rahul Dravid for company the last time but the former Indian batsman has now moved on in life. Though there remain Ajinkya Rahane's leadership and the might of Steve Smith in the middle-order to look forward to.
"It is about the (right) combination. Previously, the Royals was largely a team which was trying to get the best out of a young and less explored talents in India. There is not very much of an element of that, which is exciting," Upton further said.
"Back then, you had a Shane Watson, a Rahul Dravid or a Brad Hogg as your senior players with international experience. But now, there are more senior players, which means there are more seniors to mentor the juniors and also more seniors to bring firepower to the team."
The 50-year-old then moved on to Delhi Daredevils as part of their support staff for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
"Some of the things that have really advanced in the last five-six years is the kind of shots, the kind of deliveries and the on-field strategies. The game has advanced and one needs to keep looking in five year’s time, where does the on-field skills, tactics and strategies advance to? We need to try and stay ahead or even lead that curve," Upton concluded.
