Rajasthan Royals (RR) batsman Manan Vohra admitted his disappointment over his failure to capitalize on good starts in the first phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) but said that he has learned his lessons and is looking forward to using all the learnings to put up an improved show in the UAE.
The 28-year-old could manage only 42 runs at 10.50 in the four matches that he played in India before the IPL 2021 was suspended in May due to the COVID-19 outbreak inside the bio-bubble.
Now, Vohra is determined to make amends for the mistakes he made in the first half of the IPL 14 and produce an improved performance for the RR in the second phase of the tournament, starting on September 19 in the UAE.
Vohra said in a RR release on Sunday: “I was a little disappointed because I felt I couldn’t capitalize on the starts that I got; however, it means that I had a lot of learnings from those outings and have prepared well for the second leg.”
He also said the RR is looking to reclaim the IPL trophy this season in the UAE, saying: “As a group, we are all looking to win the trophy. It has been a long time since the franchise has won it. The best thing is that everyone in our group believes that the team has the potential to make a mark once again. So, we’re aiming for the cup but will be mindful of taking it game by game.”
Meanwhile, Vohra has also the ambition to play for India and he aims to make the most of the upcoming domestic season to push his case to the selectors for national selection.
He added, “Every player on the circuit has the same dream, and so do I. I definitely want to play for the Indian team. I think the upcoming domestic season again gives me a chance to get noticed. I'm playing for Chandigarh now and will be leading them, so I'm confident of taking my team to the latter stages of competitions through good performances, which will help me in making a case.”
Meanwhile, RR bowler Mayank Markande believes that the spinners will do well in the second phase of the IPL 2021 in the UAE just like the last season.
He said, “Our spinners had done a great job in the UAE last year, so I feel we're back to utilizing our strengths well. We feel really confident going into this phase.”
However, Mayank couldn't get a game with RR during the first phase in India, but knows that his “chance will come”, saying he is “happy to wait for his opportunities and understands that the conditions in India weren't favoring the spinners too much”.
On his transformation as a player, the 23-year-old said: “When I first started playing IPL, I didn't have much experience. But when I play now, I feel I've matured both as a player and as a person. I think I'm mentally tough now and know how to deal with pressure, and bowl in challenging situations.”
Mayank signed off by saying, “He dreams of making a comeback to the Indian team by performing well in the domestic circuit, and then consistently play for the nation at the highest level.”
(PTI inputs)
