The Rising – by Stephen Fleming
As they say, team work divides the task and multiplies the team’s success, and Rising Pune Supergiant’s performance has been synonymous to the same. The RPS side, who played a virtual knockout home game against Kings XI Punjab, cruised through the game and have made it to this season’s playoffs, thereby keeping their hopes of winning the trophy alive.
The Supergiants, who had a rather ‘frustrating’ first season in the league as they kept losing close games, have ensured that the current season is worth remembering and have come out stronger by winning some great matches. It has been a season of timely contributions by each team member and the smiles in the RPS dugout says it all.
‘We lost 6-7 last over games, last season. But, this season we have won 5 on 5 close games and that has been the turning point for the team,’ notes the RPS coach Stephen Fleming.
The Supergiant’s performances through the season have been the right mix of experience and budding talent on display as, not only did the senior players take their team home time and again, but the youngsters have also latched on to the opportunities and have proved their mettle to the team’s coaching staff and management.
A proud coach, Fleming gets into a freewheeling chat with the performers of the day – Jaydev Unadkat & Shardul Thakur, and speaks about their performances, getting into the Playoffs and facing the Mumbai Indians for the third time around this season.