‘Kohli Has Given A Different Definition To Discipline’: Mangesh Yadav On Lessons From RCB's Title-winning Culture

‘Kohli has given a different definition to discipline’: Mangesh Yadav on lessons from RCBs title-win (Image Source: IANS)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Young pacer Mangesh Yadav may not have featured regularly in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's playing XI, but his time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise has provided him with invaluable lessons from some of the biggest names in world cricket.

Having shared the dressing room with stalwarts such as Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mangesh believes the transition from domestic cricket and tournaments like the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) to the IPL is defined by the sheer amount of experience available around a young player.

Reflecting on the difference between domestic cricket and the IPL environment, Mangesh, RCB’s Rs. 5.2 crore buy, said the opportunity to observe and learn from world-class players every day was unlike anything he had experienced before.

“In domestic cricket, I feel there are some senior players and some youngsters like me who, like in MPL, perform well, learn a little from there, and then play alongside the seniors. There, Rajat was also captaining, so I learnt a little from him. So, there, you learn, and whatever you get, you learn. But when you go from domestic to IPL, you share the dressing room with Virat Kohli, Virat Bhaiya, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Bhuvi Bhaiya, and all the other players,” Mangesh told IANS in an exclusive interaction.

The youngster said that interacting with players who have spent years at the highest level helped accelerate his understanding of the game. “So, it's good because they have so much experience. Bhuvi bhaiya (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) has at least 200 matches of experience in T20. They have 200 IPL matches. Hoff (Hazlewood) has a lot of experience. So, you get to learn from them daily. Virat Bhaiya also has a lot of experience,” he said.

While he did not get on-field opportunities, Mangesh said that even observing games closely from the sidelines offered important lessons about team culture and a winning mentality. “I didn't get a chance to play in the field. But when we used to go in as waterboys and talk about matches, it felt very intact that you don't want to leave the match in the middle, and you want to play as a team. Not a single moment felt like we had won. Until the match is won, you want to play as a team. So, that felt really good. So, I got to learn a lot in this IPL,” Mangesh stated.

Among the many memories from the season, Mangesh highlighted RCB's title-winning moment as one he will never forget. “There are a lot of moments. The first one is the trophy. When we won the trophy, it was a next-level feeling. Before that, it felt normal to win a match, even the final. But when we won the trophy, it felt very different. It felt special,” he said.

Beyond the celebrations, he pointed to the willingness of senior players to guide younger teammates as one of the defining aspects of the dressing room. “The second thing is that, in every moment, I learned from a player. If there was a doubt, I asked Josh Hazlewood what we could do in that situation. He explained it to me with a lot of love, saying we could do this. It was mind-blowing for me because I wasn't even thinking about it. Then he explained it to me, and I thought yes, we could do this too,” he said.

Mangesh said similar interactions with Bhuvneshwar Kumar helped him solve technical and tactical issues quickly.

“The same thing happened with Bhuvi Bhaiya. I was lagging in a few things. I asked him a few things, and he told me that if I did this, it would be good. So it got better immediately. Then I felt that it was very good. I learned a lot. The things that were troubling me, they had so much experience. So they had a solution. Whatever happened, I would go and ask immediately. That, Bhuvi Bhaiya, this is happening. And this is happening. So he would give me a solution immediately,” Mangesh said of Bhuvneshwar.

Despite spending much of the season outside the playing XI, Mangesh said the coaching staff constantly reminded him to remain match-ready. "I was always told that you have to be prepared. DK sir and Andy sir told me that you have to be prepared. You can play a match anytime. If anyone gets injured, you are going to play. So, they told me that you can play anytime."

The message shaped his preparation throughout the tournament. "So, I had to be prepared for every match. So, I used to go to every practice session in the same way. I used to practise. Now, what happened is not in our hands. And, a very good team combination was formed. So, the team kept going in the same way,” he stated.

For Mangesh, the team's larger objective remained more important than individual opportunities. "And, we all have the same motive. The motive for our going to the IPL is to win the trophy. So, that was the main motive. And I was prepared that, whenever I got a chance, as the coach had told me, I could play whenever something happened. So, I was prepared in the same way."

Having played under Rajat Patidar at both RCB and MPL, where he represents JK sports-owned Gwalior Cheetahs, Mangesh reserved special praise for the captain's man-management skills and calm demeanour. “Some people have still said this on social media. But what I would like to say is that it is completely pressure-free to play under him,” he noted.

According to Mangesh, Patidar's greatest strength lies in trusting players and backing their instincts. "He gives plans. First, he asks for our plan. If you give another plan to a bowler, he will not be able to do it at all, because he also has a plan. So, it happened to me in the Mushtaq Ali Trophy as well. I got a little run on my plan. So, he gave his plan, saying, ‘You can do this now. And I followed his plan and got a wicket there."

The approach, he said, continued in the MPL as well. "Like, I played in the last MPL match. So, he asked me for my plan, and I did well on it. So, he doesn't have any such attitude, and neither is he egoistic, saying ‘I am the captain’. He doesn't look like that at all."

Mangesh also highlighted Patidar's composure during difficult phases of a game. "And the second thing is that when the bowler gets hit, the captain shouts a lot. But he is not like that at all. He is completely calm. If he gets hit on that plan, he gives another plan. And if you execute it, he says nothing at all. Like, if you execute it well, it's fine. If you did it wrong, he himself says that it was wrong."

For a fast bowler operating under pressure, such support can make a significant difference. "So, that is one thing. He doesn't give any expression at all. Because as a bowler, I feel that if I bowl and get a six, my first look goes to my captain to see what he has to say. And he is not like that at all. He doesn't get angry at all. So, it feels very motivating that, yes, something like this is not happening."

Asked about the biggest lesson from being part of a title-winning dressing room, Mangesh pointed to one quality above all else: discipline. "The biggest learning was that everyone was very disciplined about their work. Everyone is having fun, but they know that when we go to the ground, we have to react, be aggressive, and be on our game. It is very chill outside. The best thing was the discipline of all the players."

He observed that elite players stick to routines regardless of circumstances. "Everyone is doing their thing daily. It is not like they are doing something different every day. So the discipline I saw is why they are completely different."

Using Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar as examples, Mangesh explained how attention to small details separates top professionals from the rest. "Like, Josh Hazlewood comes, and he does his warm-up first. Then he goes and bowls. It is not like he won’t warm up if he’s feeling good on a particular day. Same with Bhuvi. He does everything first, then comes to the ground.

"And I think there is no such thing as a big thing. Because small things make it big. We always take our warm-up lightly. Like, I will bowl or whatever. But that is the most important role for a player. That you warm up well. So I liked that,” he said.

The discussion on discipline inevitably led to Virat, as Mangesh agreed, “Kohli has given a different definition to discipline, because everyone knows about his discipline and how seriously he takes everything."

Looking ahead, Mangesh is focused on becoming a fully professional after securing an IPL contract. "I have planned many strategies for how I want to improve. And I am still playing MPL, so I don't have that much time. But I am talking to my mentor. This time, he is the team's trainer, so I am playing with him. I have done a gym session with him,” he said.

He added that better resources and structured planning have strengthened his confidence. "So I am working on those things gradually, and I have planned everything. Because RCB has given me so much money. So I have to become a pro. And I am absolutely ready for that. And I am feeling good. Now, the things I want, the things that were lacking, are now easily available. So this time, I absolutely feel I will reach the next level. Be it fitness or bodybuilding,” Mangesh stated.

As for his performances in the ongoing MPL, where his economy rate has been on the higher side in the opening matches, Mangesh remains unconcerned and believes it is only a matter of time before rhythm returns.

"I feel that you can say every day is not the same in cricket. Sometimes, you get hit. Sometimes, you don't. But in the last two games, I have felt that it is just that runs are being conceded. I am doing well. Some things are happening here and there,” Mangesh expressed.

As for his performances in the ongoing MPL, where his economy rate has been on the higher side in the opening matches, Mangesh remains unconcerned and believes it is only a matter of time before rhythm returns.

Confident that there are no major issues in his game, Mangesh is backing himself to improve as the tournament progresses. "As for the rest, I don't feel that anything is missing,” he concluded.

Article Source: IANS