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The Desert Vipers have appointed New Zealand speedster Lockie Ferguson as captain for the upcoming ILT20 season, succeeding fellow Kiwi Colin Munro. Head coach James Foster praised Ferguson’s all-around skills and leadership qualities, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the team.
Speaking on the Vipers Voices podcast, Foster described Ferguson as the perfect candidate for the role. “First of all, if you talk about his bowling, he is a player who is in high demand. He is high-quality, he has high pace, and he brings that X factor with his skill set,” said Foster. “Also, if you think from a fielding point of view, I would probably say he is one of the best fielders going around of those with bowling as their primary skill set. He adds value there and some handy lower-order runs as well.”
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Foster also emphasized Ferguson’s temperament and leadership potential. “Lockie has impressed me over the last few years. I have been lucky enough to work with him in the New Zealand setup. I have worked with him in the IPL, and he has just got a great outlook on the game.
“He is a wonderful person. Yes, he has not had a huge amount of experience in captaincy, but he has taken the reins over for New Zealand (in Bangladesh in 2023) and, again, he did a great job there. Everyone loved working under Lockie as the leader. He is very calm. He believes and backs his players. He is very consistent as an individual, which is another very important thing.
“Also, he has got a lot of fire in the belly, and that is the thing with Lockie. He will want to do well, but without trying to put too much pressure on himself and others. He has been around a while, and I think this role in his career – this captaincy role – has probably come at a really good time for him.”
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Ferguson will be joined by UAE fast bowler Khuzaima bin Tanveer, a rising talent known for his raw pace. The decision to pick Khuzaima was based on extensive scouting, according to Foster. “We did a lot of research on him when we had the (ILT20) development tournament (that showcased UAE talent) and we had to pick 15 players (for that). He was one on the top of our list, and then we got to watch him bowl for us in that development tournament.
“It was not just about his raw ability and his raw pace; he has got a great head on his shoulders and is very eager and hungry to learn, which is great. He is a young man who is hungry and can further his career with the coaching staff and the players that we have here at his disposal. I am very excited for him.”
Reflecting on the team’s disappointing season last year, Foster admitted there were lessons to be learned. “I think it is only fair for myself to keep that reflection in-house, but as a coaching group and support staff, we reflect on the season and that was something I did myself, individually, too.
“But really, that season is there, and it has been done and dusted and something to really learn from. It is then about bringing that knowledge that we picked up on from last year, where it did not go quite to plan, and bringing it forward to this season.”
Foster expressed excitement about the upcoming season, emphasizing the team’s ambitions. “We have got a brilliant squad. We strengthened our squad, and the mindset for us as a group is about winning this competition. It is very, very simple.
“It is not about just doing enough to qualify. It is about winning this competition, and it is important that that gets fed throughout the whole group. You cannot just say, ‘we have got to win this competition’ – that does not bring you a win. It is still about doing the simple things right.”
The Desert Vipers begin their ILT20 campaign on day two of the tournament, taking on the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
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