'Ishant played the first game, but, unfortunately, he bowled a lot of no-balls'
'Praveen Kumar got an opportunity and did really well'
Sunrisers Hyderabad mentor VVS Laxman reflects on his key players' showing ahead of Saturday's IPL match against Mumbai Indians. Harish Kotian reports.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have, perhaps, the best fast bowling resources at their disposal in Season 8 of the Indian Premier League, but, thus far, it is proving to be a problem of plenty for the David Warner-led team.
South Africa’s Dale Steyn, considered one of the world’s best fast bowlers, sat out of the first three matches, while Ishant Sharma, India’s No. 1 pacer over the last few years, is finding it difficult to break back into the team after a poor first game.
He was hammered for 46 runs in three overs in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s opening match, during which he also gifted Chennai Super Kings four no-balls, and, understandably, made way for former India pacer Praveen Kumar, who grabbed the opportunity with both hands with some intelligent bowling in the four games he has featured in.
Sunrisers Hyderabad mentor VVS Laxman pointed out that Ishant’s no-ball problem is one of the reasons for his exclusion.
"Ishant played the first game, but, unfortunately, he bowled a lot of no-balls. He has really worked hard over the last one week to work on that aspect and has overcome the issue.
"But Praveen Kumar got an opportunity and did really well; that is something we really want to focus on, giving enough security to the players and playing the best possible eleven depending on the conditions and the opposition we are against,” he said, in Mumbai on Friday, ahead of their match against Mumbai Indians.
The former India batting great admitted that it was hard to keep someone like Steyn out of the playing eleven, but Trent Boult’s superb bowling in the ICC World Cup tilted the scales in the New Zealander’s favour at the start of the tournament.
"It was very tough to leave him (Steyn) out. It was a tough decision. We can play only four overseas players and we have to balance our combination. We thought to give Trent Boult the first chance, because he is a left-arm seamer and he was in great form throughout the World Cup.
"It was a tough decision, but it was great the way Dale accepted the decision and handled himself; it was phenomenal from him. He is a thorough professional, he has been of great help to the youngsters, he took it in the right spirit, and when he got the opportunity, I think, he bowled beautifully in the last two games. I am sure he will contribute more in the coming matches,” he said.
He hinted that Sunrisers could play both pacers, Steyn and Boult, in Saturday’s match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede stadium.
"That’s a possibility. We will have to see how the wicket is. The wicket is a little bit damp at the moment and we have not taken any decision yet on the playing eleven; we will take the final call tomorrow."
Asked why David Warner was appointed captain of Sunrisers despite not having enough experience of leading a team, Laxman replied: "One of the reasons why we gave him the captaincy was because of the way he contributed as a leader last year even though he was not the designated leader.
"He was contributing in each and every team meeting and as a senior player took lot of responsibilities last year. He didn’t captain too much, but in the Big Bash, whenever he got the opportunity, he did well.
"Since the first match, I think, he has been very good as a captain and as a leader; he has got immense respect within the team and over the last couple of years, I believe, as a person he has become more matured and been handling himself and some tough situations remarkably well."
Laxman also lauded Shikhar Dhawan’s approach, especially in the last two games.
"He was smart and that is what we want. Your want your experienced player, or any player, to adapt to the situation. That was smart batting from him in Bangalore as well as in the last game.
"When Warner got off to a flier, he played the supporting role. But there will be times in the coming matches when he will be off to a flier and Warner will play a supporting role. That’s what we want each and every batsman to think and not just play one-dimensional cricket. It is important to understand the situation he or the team is in and respond to that," he said.
Laxman, 40, gave the thumbs up to tied matches being decided via the 'Super Over', saying it is better than having a 'Bowl out'.
"It is good to have the Super Over, because, at the end of the match, you want to have a result; you don’t want the teams to share the points.
"I think it is exciting and it is something also for the crowd to take away. A result is very important at the end of a match and it hardly takes 12 or 14 minutes, so it is not that (much) time.
"I favour it more than the Bowl out. In Bowl out sometimes you can be unlucky, but Super Over gives you six balls while batting or bowling to win the game."