Kumar Sangakkara lays down 'non-negotiable' ground rules for Rajasthan players in IPL 2021

Former Sri Lanka cricketer and new director of cricket of Rajasthan for the IPL 2021, Kumar Sangakkara is out of his quarantine and joined the team into the training session. Rajasthan franchise on its Twitter shared the video of Kumar Sangakkara interacting with the team for the first time. Sangakkara was seen laying some 'non-negotiable' ground rules for the players before they come to train for the IPL 2021. The former Sri Lankan wicket-keeper praised the team and said that he has heard that you guys have been training well and therefore he will be just laying down some ground rules. 

In the video shared by Rajasthan, Sangakkara said, "Heard a lot of good things from all the coaching staffs about how well your training is going and how great you guys are as a bunch. So, I just want to lay down a few ground rules for training."

"The one thing we can really control is our attitude. So, when we come into training everyone must come with a great attitude. You might be feeling down, you might have things that you are thinking about. But if you need support come and talk to us. But when you are here, every little thing we do, we do it with a great attitude. That's non-negotiable."

'You must come here with a purpose'- Kumar Sangakkara

Apart from the ground rules, Kumar Sangakkara also suggested the players to come for training with a purpose and told them how can achieve that purpose. "The other thing is you must come here with a purpose. And that purpose would be different for everyone. So you need to talk to us and the staff about what you need as a player and that's very important so that we can have you training to answer you those questions that you have in your mind, to fit your role, what you think you need to work on."

"Don't be afraid of talking and asking questions, that's the one way we learn, that's how we improve at training, that's how we improve with each other and that's the whole idea of getting better as an individual or as a team."

"The other thing is when you come with a purpose, you raise your intensity at training because here every single thing you do whether a ball you bowl or a ball you hit or a ball you field it's got be an intensity where you are trying to recreate what you feel in a match. It won't be hundred percent there, but if you challenge yourself you can get to a level where every single practice you come up with a purpose and you walk out having achieved that purpose."  

As per the IPL 2021 schedule, the Sanju Samson-led side will take on KL Rahul and his Punjab team in their opening match of the IPL 2021 on April 12 at the Wankhede in Mumbai. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST. 

(Image Credits:  @rajasthanroyalsTwitter/AP)