“They have good bowlers. It’s just about selecting the balls that you can hit.”
In Dubai, the Mumbai Indians managed to crush 79 runs in the last four overs. In Abu Dhabi, they scored 104 in the last six. If this is the muscle they carried on the so-called big terrains and slow terrains of the UAE, what awaits them in Sharjah, the flat track and the small terrain, where just a few days ago Kings XI Punjab failed to defend 223 against Rajasthan Royals? With a lineup that boasts of Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan coming out even before heavy hitters like Kieron Pollard and the Pandya brothers, your next game should be a scrumptious prospect for the defending champs. However, Kishan is wary of indulging in temptation against Sunrisers Hyderabad and impresses on the need for caution in Sunday afternoon’s clash.
“They have some good bowlers,” Kishan said on Saturday (October 3). “I know it’s a small stadium, but at the same time, if we don’t have loose balls, we have to respect those balls. And if the rhythm is on our side, we just have to keep going. It’s almost selecting the balls that you can hit. stadium is a plus point [for the batsmen]. The teams are going to bet on the big shots. “
However, finding the correct balls to hit was not the easiest task for Kishan in the previous game alone, where he fought during his 32-ball stint against Kings Xi Punjab and managed only 28. It was quite a contrasting hit to his 99 that he had. scored in the previous game against Royal Challengers Bangalore and nearly led the Mumbai Indians to victory. However, Kishan is not overly concerned with his sub-par show in Abu Dhabi.
“The pitch was not easy. He had double rhythm and double rebound,” he said defending his shot. “Sometimes he was coming on the bat, sometimes he was holding. I had a hard time thinking what was the perfect ball to go to. The limit was pretty big on the leg side when I was hitting. You must have seen the KXIP hitters. they also fight when they hit.
“The situation was also such that we had lost some early ground and my job was to hit until the end. So I couldn’t start hitting. You have to see a lot of things. What if I go out and then Hardik comes along? We wanted him to play seven. overs. He has a clear mind on where to go after each ball. That was the plan and I think we executed it very well.
“We have the belief of never giving up. I remember there were many situations where we were stuck and we thought we were going to lose, but there was still hope in each and every player that we have to get the game back from this situation. And we have done it many times. “
The left-hander had missed the first two games of IM’s campaign due to alleged shoulder discomfort and replaced Saurabh Tiwary, who had performed reasonably well on his return to the IPL. However, Kishan’s innings against RCB and his fielding on the ground have put to rest doubts about his talent. However, it is still a work in progress and he credits his off-season training and the learnings of the likes of Pollard and Hardik for his improved game.
“He wasn’t good at shooting through coverage,” he admits. “I’ve worked a lot on that during the offseason. If I get the ball there, I definitely will. Every team plans for you, they know what your weak points are. They have meetings to discuss that and where they have to play with us, it’s important that Let’s practice during the low season.
“I’ve been working with them [Hardik and Pollard] for the last three years and I know how they plan their game. It’s not just about power, it’s about how they carry the game to the end or how they push the bowlers, how they rotate the strike. This is something I am learning from them: how to rotate the stroke and how to keep the [opposition] players confused about what their plan is. It’s not just about going and hitting. “
In the future, however, wickets are expected to get slow and the role of heavy hitters could change, with inning builders and spinners likely to be more important in the hitting setup. It is quite against what the Mumbai Indians have packed their XI. However, Kishan is confident that the team is prepared for the projected conditions.
“When we got here, we knew that the wickets were going to be slow. After the first half of the IPL, we know that the players are going to get help, especially the spinners. We have prepared very well for these situations and we have done that too. in the domestic seasons as we don’t have easy grounds to hit. We just have to execute our plans in a good way and we have to select the right balls and the right pitchers (to attack).
.
