As Abhinav Manohar gets ready to turn up for Shivamogga Lions in the third edition of Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20, he comes with a wealth of experience earned while representing Gujarat Titans during IPL. He lauds Titans coach Ashish Nehra, the former India fast bowler, for promoting an atmosphere where players have opportunities to grow and excel.
“The most important thing was his positivity,” said Manohar of Nehra. “The kind of energy that he brings into the room was infectious. The atmosphere was one of the main things that I took away. No team can match the Gujarat Titans for that atmosphere, and a lot of credit has to go to Ashish Nehra. He has an energy that is infectious.”
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He added, “Almost childlike. Imagine managing 25 players for a six-hour training session with internationals and youngsters. That is an atmosphere where players can be themselves and perform, and that’s what happened. Hopefully, something which I am looking at bringing in within the Shivamogga Lions in the Maharaja Trophy,” Manohar said.
As the Maharaja Trophy Season 3 gets underway on August 15 at the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium, Manohar comes with dual responsibilities on his shoulders: that of a senior player with IPL experience and being the highest-paid player in the tournament for the second consecutive year.
Asked about the pressure that comes with being the highest-paid player, Abhinav Manohar said, “It feels good to be valued in a tournament like this, but I don’t focus on how much I’ve been sold for. Whether it’s five lakhs or 15 lakhs, my goal remains the same—winning matches for the team and contributing effectively.”
The Shivamogga Lions were stopped in the semifinals last year. He believes that getting the right kind of dressing room environment is paramount to excelling this time around. “We have more squad depth this time with options for every role. We also have a lot of young boys who have done well on the circuit. How we can get them to step up, that will be the challenge,” he said.
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He recalled the preparations for the forthcoming season and said that much emphasis was laid by Abhinav Manohar on making a few adjustments to his batting. “I haven’t had as much game time as I would have liked, so I’m really looking forward to this tournament. I’ve been training hard and made a few adjustments to my batting. I’m confident that I will do well this season,” he added.
“My journey started here, leading to an opportunity with Karnataka in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and eventually with Gujarat Titans. For young players in Karnataka, this has become an important platform. We know that the IPL scouts are watching and it can also be a stepping stone into Karnataka’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy team,” Abhinav Manohar said.
Shivamogga Lions will start their campaign on the 15th when they take on the runners-up of the last season, Mysore Warriors, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
