The intent of a few young batters like Arya, Sudarshan & Suryavanshi has created a buzz in this IPL. As a result, the excitement created by these talented youngsters overshadowed the moderate efforts from some accomplished left handers. The opening pair of the CSK have notched up some runs, but their strike rate has been below par. Both Ravindra and Conway have not maximised the power-plays, and they seem to be still working on methods to adapt to this format. Ravindra did play a match winning knock at the start of the season, but since then he has been inconsistent.
Conway has played three games so far and he has been trying to find his groove this season. He forged a good partnership with Ruturaj last year but got a look in rather late this season. Even though he doesn’t have Ruturaj’s company this season, he still has his Kiwi colleague opening the innings with him. The inconsistency from the openers has put a lot of pressure on the CSK middle order that is a bit wobbly. The CSK are bottom placed, and they need to play out of their skins in the remaining games.
KKR, is having a struggle with Narine and De Kock blowing hot and cold. De Kock has scored one half century this season but otherwise he has been totally off the boil. He has been a top performer in this format but somehow things are not working out for him. The KKR management must consider other options if his failures with the bat continue. Narine has scored his runs at a brisk rate, but has not made substantial contributions.
Narine and De Kock are accomplished performers and multi-dimensional cricketers, but KKR’s plans need revision. Narine’s quota of four overs is gold dust even if he fails to score with the bat. De Kock doubles up as wicket keeper and he can contribute behind the stumps as well. However, time is running for KKR, and they need to make a few tactical changes in the upcoming games. Will the return of Nayyar into the KKR camp trigger a revamp of role allocation?
Rishab Pant’s quiet run so far should go down as the biggest disappointment for the fans. They were excited when he shifted to LSG and expectations also ran high when he was made captain. But the young man is obviously feeling the stress of having to don multiple roles simultaneously. In addition, he will be mindful of his personal ambitions and goals even as he strives to achieve the objectives of his team. But the silver lining in the cloud for him is that his team has been competitive thus far.
If Pant gets going with the bat, the LSG side can be a serious threat to any rival on a given day. His batting woes apart, Pant’s temperament behind the stumps has been severely tested in this IPL. He has made some elementary mistakes behind the stumps which is unusual. Pant needs to figure out a method to juggle multiple roles, and ensure that one role doesn’t affect the efficacy of the other. Easier said than done, but that is just the way it is at times.
The “Travi-shek” duo has found its mojo after a few failures and they are back to smashing the opposition attacks. Similarly, the likes of De Kock, Narine, Pant, Ravindra can get back their mojo and make a serious impact. Rishab Pant is one batter who can be a nightmare for bowlers when in form and LSG will need him to find his batting form quickly. Once he gets his rhythm back, he along with Pooran & Markram can make the LSG line up rather menacing. Pant must be working hard to get his touch back and he would hope that Miller does too.
Miller is so good at pacing the innings and if he finds the spark, then he makes the jobs of the other batters easier. Miller’s experience is critical in the later stages of the tournament and hence, his return to form will be extremely crucial. The accomplished left handers have been quiet for a while, and they need to draw upon their experience to overcome this lean phase. They need to do it soon enough for their sake, because they cannot leave it until it is too late. After all, the inexperienced young guns have collared the bowling attacks and shown the way. Haven’t they?
Nice one
Why Pant came so down the line raises eyebrows on the decision
Pant’s record after having played over 70 international T20’s isn’t flattering enough. His batting exploits like Viru’s is something that can easily be associated with white ball cricket. Surprisingly enough both Pant’s & Viru’s returns are way lesser than what all of us would have hoped for.