Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja admitted that they were short by 15-20 runs but lauded their disciplined bowling show in securing a convincing 28-run victory over Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League match in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Defending 167 for 9, the five-time champions restricted Punjab Kings to 139 for 9, with Jadeja claiming a match-winning 3 for 20.
Tushar Deshpande (2/35) and impact sub Simarjeet Singh (2/16) also featured among wickets.
Mitchell Santner, playing his first match of the season, was also brilliant during his tidy 1/10 from three overs.
"We thought we were 15-20 runs short but we did not bowl loose balls in the Powerplay and middle overs," said Jadeja at the post-match presentation.
"The fast bowlers bowled well in the Powerplay. Tushar got two important wickets and then Mitch and me did the job in the middle overs."
Jadeja struck a crucial 26-ball 43. The knock came at a time when PBKS were chipping away with regular wickets.
Jadeja said it was tricky batting in the middle overs.
"It was a day game, so the wicket was slow. As usual, it was expected because it was so hot.
"It (the pitch) always seems flat in the Powerplay. But when the ball gets old it does not always come on. When playing at a new venue you don't know how much it will turn or stop.
"My role as a batter is to build partnerships and then play the big shots towards the end. Sometimes, when we lose wickets in the Powerplay, we do not get momentum. In the matches we win, we play all phases well."
Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad scored a 21-ball 32, while Daryl Mitchell looked in full flow in a 19-ball 30, taking the team to 60 for 1 in the Powerplay.
"Everyone believed that the wicket was slow and the ball was coming off slow. There was low bounce too. With the start we got, we could have pushed to 180-200. We lost wickets in consecutive balls and then felt 160-170 was probably ten odd runs short," said Gaikwad.
It's not too late for Simarjeet: Gaikwad
Simarjeet impressed with his pace after coming in as an ‘Impact Player’, replacing Ajinkya Rahane.
"I don't know what he is doing, but in the pre-season we had he was bowling at around 150s.
"We had Deepak (Chahar), Shardul (Thakur), Tushar (Deshpande) plus (Matheesha) Pathirana and Fizz (Mustafizur Rahman), so he did not get too many chances. Nothing is late; he got a game today.
"We were thinking of sending an Impact batter but we thought the impact batter would score 10-15 runs but the bowler might get us two-three wickets," Gaikwad added.
Faf Or Kohli? Whose Knock Was Better?
Blow for CSK! Pathirana returns to SL with injury
Did the 9-day break help Siraj swing the ball again?
Gavaskar hails Siraj's 'never-say-die attitude'
GT struggling, but Gill 'adjusting well to captaincy'