Rajasthan Royals may not have had the perfect start to the season with three wins and four losses, but their stylish batter Manan Vohra has sent warning shots to other teams in IPL. He believes the team is not just looking to make it to the playoffs but are aiming the coveted IPL trophy that has eluded them after 2008.
“As a group, we are all looking to win the trophy. It has been a long time since the franchise has won it, and 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,” Manan Vohra told ANI.
As for his own performance, despite showing promise, Manan Vohra acknowledged that he failed to capitalise on the starts. “I think my personal experience was good because I had been waiting for this opportunity for two years. 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,” Manan Vohra said.
His performance was complicated by the second wave in India when he lost his grandfather and that took a heavy emotional toll. Manan Vohra said that the period was an extremely difficult one personally.
“The first two weeks (after IPL) were rough when I went back home because I lost my grandfather to whom I was extremely close, but you have to be strong. I was able to cope up with that, but his memories and teachings are very precious to me and will stay with me forever,” an emotional Manan Vohra said.
As for a young Mayank Markande, he too believes Rajasthan Royals can win the title. He feels with the spinners in great form and with the addition of Tabraiz Shamsi, Rajasthan Royals are a confident unit in the UAE.
“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,” Mayank Markande said.
Meanwhile commenting on not being able to find a spot in the Royals’ team during the first phase, Mayank said he’s “happy to wait for his opportunities and understands that the conditions in India weren’t favouring the spinners too much” but knows that his “chance will come”.
