IPL 2020

Morgan keen on picking Karthik's brains on leadership

by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on Sat, Apr 11, 2020, 10:44 PM

Morgan dubbed KKR as one of the best-run franchises in the competition. © Getty

A chance to pick the brains of Dinesh Karthik and align himself with good buddy Brendon McCullum is what Eoin Morgan is missing right now as the IPL continues to be held off indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Morgan, who admits to 'getting the best out of this bad situation' after welcoming his first child recently, had been looking forward to be a part of KKR again, calling it one of the best run franchises in the tournament based on his previous three-year stint.

"I was extremely excited, particularly going back to Kolkata. I had three seasons there that I thoroughly enjoyed before," Morgan told the KKR website. "They're one of the best run teams, everything from the owners right down to the young players. I like the planning, and when you look at the IPL as a whole since the very beginning, they are one of three teams that has had the most success and it's easy to see why they have. The level of consistency that they show and I suppose the belief in retaining that group of core players... Probably, the other two teams are Mumbai and Chennai you know. They really do back the players, and they have done so from the very beginning. If they believe that the guy has the right values or leadership skills to take the team forward, they stick with them."

Morgan was part of the squad when it won its maiden IPL crown in 2012 under Gautam Gambhir, and while he didn't play a single game, the triumph still ranks among his special memories.

"2012 was a pretty chaotic season, and being in a squad where you win it (the IPL) for the first time, you see the reaction when we returned to the city (Kolkata). I literally returned for a couple of hours and then flew out but people aligned the streets. I remember Eden Gardens being full, all the pictures of the boys going around and doing lap of honour... Just to see the pure joy on peoples' faces about how proud they were to support a team was amazing."

This time around though, Morgan has the reputation of being one of the best limited-overs captains going around after leading England to a historic World Cup title. Still, he's keen on learning new tricks under Dinesh Karthik about the dynamics of leadership in India, while also providing a helping hand when needed.

"I've spoken to DK a lot and I met up with him just before Christmas when I was out in Mumbai. He's a fantastic guy, a great cricketer and I'm looking forward to helping him in whatever way I can. While I'm here to help, I also want to learn as much as I can from him. There are a lot of dynamics about being a captain when you're playing in India that I don't know about, I'll be picking his brain the whole time. I'll naturally be myself and try to give as much as I can just like the rest of the international players. But it's going to be fascinating to see how and when we get to play and how the competition lines up. Because everybody is going to come out of isolation extremely excited, rearing to go, batting, bowling, fielding the whole lot."

Morgan has, several times, acknowledged McCullum's contribution in shaping the style of play that England have come to embrace. Incidentally, the two had struck a rapport all those years back playing in Kolkata itself, and were set to be reunited this time with McCullum taking over as the new coach of the franchise.

"I'm very lucky to be able to call him one of my good mates. Over the years, we've gotten to know each other really well. Actually our relationship first blossomed at Kolkata, where the two of us played together.

"I think his contribution not only to New Zealand cricket but to world cricket really took the front in 2015 with their campaign - throughout the 2015 World Cup. They really did, I suppose, transform the fate of a nation and the hope of a nation in the way that they played. They played aggressive, positive cricket but also in a way that wasn't in your face the whole time. It was really good to watch, it created a huge amount of attraction and I think majority of the time actually the way that they play and the manner that they play overlooks the skill level that they produce. And I think Baz is the reason for that turn around. I think he has had a huge input in the way they've played and in all formats as well not just white ball."

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Morgan keen on picking Karthik's brains on leadership

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