Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have hit the (virtual) ground running with their virtual team meetings and workout sessions. As players and support staff get into the professional groove after many months of downtime, a few blips are expected. Like Adam Griffith, the RCB bowling coach, turning up for a team meeting dressed in beachwear and being cheekily reminded by Director of Cricket Mike Hesson about the dress code. Or Parthiv Patel who is “not related” to Hesson, as the latter clarified on social media, receiving a gift from the coach. RCB shared a video on social media showing snippets from their team meetings and the subtle banter between players and support staff.
When Griffith joined the video webinar, Hesson was quick to note that the bowling coach wasn't dressed in his RCB polos. “You look ready for the beach already,” Hesson quipped.
Griffith, still unaware of what Hesson was hinting at, replied rather plaintively. “I was working out in my room actually.”
However, the big Australian realised soon what was amiss. “You're looking very official. Were we supposed to wear our shirts for this?” he enquired.
“Well you obviously read half the mail, didn't you,” Hesson responded in his uber cool style.
“Was there a mail to it?” Griffith, who by this time had been smiling sheepishly, further asked.
“I think there was an invite from Soumya. If you do have one polo, if you can whack one on please,” Hesson reminded, like a nonplussed manager.
“Thanks, mate. Give me five minutes.” And Griffith swooped across his screen to “whack on” a polo.
A case of minor indiscipline handed very efficiently by Hesson justified RCB's claim in the caption.
“You know the team is in good spirits when there's banter of this quality,” the caption read.
The 13th season of IPL begins in the UAE on September 19.