TNPL 2016: League is an opportunity to groom youngsters, says Lance Klusener

Lance Klusener was one of the most prominent all-rounders of his generation

Former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener was earlier roped in as the coach of the Lyca Kovai Kings for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Premier League which is about to start in a few days’ time. The former Proteas International is yet to land in the country but has informed that the upcoming stint with the Tamil Nadu franchise will kick-start his coaching career. A veteran of 171 ODIs, he was the leading all-rounder during the late 90s.

A total of 31 matches will be played in the inaugural TNPL amongst the 8 teams with Chennai to host the opening and penultimate match along with the semi-finals and ends on September 18. 

The ‘Lyca Kovai Kings’ boss informed that grooming young talents was the primary motive of taking up the job. Speaking to the Times of India, Klusener said, “For me, it was a great opportunity to groom young talents, and India has always been a place I have loved to come -be it during my playing days and even as part of the coaching staff in the IPL. So, when an offer to be part of the Lyca Kovai Kings franchise came, I was more than happy to give my nod.”

With big names such as Ravichandran Ashwin to feature in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, it is going to be a carnival in the southern part of India. Yet, it was surprising to hear that Klusener has not even interacted personally with his boys so far with a week to go for the first ball to be bowled in the much-anticipated T20 tournament. “I've followed the players draft and believe we have a good team in place. Since I've a commitment with the Zimbabwe national side, I arrive in Chennai only in the next few days”, said the Durban-born cricketer. 

“The basic ground work has been done by the coaching staff present there, and my role in the side will be to create an environment where each player gets a platform to perform and excel. Twenty20 cricket is about playing as a cohesive unit and understanding each other's role and I hope to be able to add value to the team”, he added.

Lance Klusener was awarded the “Player of the Tournament” for his brilliant performance during the 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup and feels that South Africa lacks a genuine medium-pacer all-rounder in the team which is the main reason for their downfall in Test cricket for the past couple of years. It will be interesting to see how he fares with his team in the competition and if he can use some of his vast experience and help develop talent in the TNPL.