Gopinath happy to continue with Chepauk Super Gillies

The 30-year-old batsman said the tag of defending champion will not put the team under any extra pressure and feels the side is competent enough to cope with any degree of pressure. 

“I followed the draft process closely and I was immensely happy with the new set of players. Being the reigning champion will be at the back of our minds but we aren’t looking too far ahead at this point,” said Gopinath, who is regarded as a captaincy material by the team management. 

Gopinath lavished praise on the team owners and the support staff for providing a conducive atmosphere for the team to deliver consistently. 

“Any player who has ever played for CSG will say that our owners are the most encouraging and they make sure that a convivial mood prevails in the dressing room. I’m looking forward to playing under coach Hemang Badani once again. He has guided the team in the right direction and I’m sure it will be no different this time around as well,” added Gopinath. 

The flamboyant batsman felt that though the absence of players such as the highly rated left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore and veteran all-rounder V Yo Mahesh would be felt, his team has taken adequate steps to replace them with promising players. 

“I’m impressed with the young talent we have. We have many youngsters who are cut out for the fast-paced nature of this format and I’m sure our ground fielding will improve markedly with the energy they bring,” remarked Gopinath. 

Asked if he was ready to take up the role of captaincy, Gopinath affirmed that he has it in him to lead the side capably. “Any player would love to captain his team and I’m no different. I won’t shy away from the responsibility if it comes my way,” mentioned Gopinath.