Faulkner: It takes time to gel as new team

Cricket365
April 29, 2016

Australia all-rounder James Faulkner says it's taken a while for him to get used to playing for new franchise the Gujarat Lions, having been with the Rajasthan Royals for three IPL seasons.

With Rajasthan and the Chennai Super Kings banned for two years due to corruption, their players have scattered, and Faulkner says it's been an adjustment to get used to a new set of players.

The Lions have done well so far, much better than other new side Rising Pune Supergiants, an Faulkner says he's been lucky to join a team where he knows many of the players, even the locals.

He told Cricinfo: "It's been different. Obviously, I was with Rajasthan for three years. [Three years there] made you very used to what happened around you.

"You've got the same sort of squad pretty much every year, the same support staff, coaches and senior players as well. We all knew each other inside and out. Obviously it's going to be new any time you come to a new franchise, or whether it's a new team.

"So, you are playing county cricket or Big Bash, there are going to be different challenges and different relationships you have to build with team-mates. You know their game as well and what they are trying to achieve.

"That's all part of the challenge and so far we have started well as a team. It all depends on the players you know already.

"I am lucky here I knew a lot of their players, especially their international players, but I even knew a lot of the Indian locals as well, having played with them in other franchises, whether it was way back at the start at Pune [Warriors] or Kings XI [Punjab] when I wasn't obviously playing.

"But I was training with them and spending time. [At the] end of the day it's up to the players to gel and it is up to the coaching staff to get them to gel as well."