INDIA PREMIER LEAGUE 2020
Sunrisers Hyderabad, leg runner Rashid Khan, has advised his team’s inexperienced middle managers to play sensible cricket in the middle for success. Speaking to the media through a virtual press conference before the first match of the SRH tournament against RCB, Rashid stressed the importance of not always going after the big shots in the UAE.
For SRH, the focus this season has been on their middle order, where some young players have joined Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar. “We have guys like Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar and other young people in the middle order; they can all hit the ball very far,” Rashid said. “But sometimes on big grounds, you need to play cricket sensibly. So it’s not just about hitting six big ones like we saw last night (CSK vs MI) too, how (Faf) du Plessis took it to the end and finished it. good. I think the team that gets these things right will succeed. That’s what matters in the UAE. When you play sensible cricket in the middle, I think it helps you get positive results, as in the end, power hitters can give you 50-60 runs in the last five overs. ”
Rashid himself will be aiming for a bigger role with the bat this time in case SRH designates him at No. 7. “I always keep this in mind: I’m most effective when I hit in the last three or four overs where I can play my shots, “he noted. “When I was playing at the Big Bash, the captain and the coaching staff clearly told me that ‘Rash, this is when you’re going to come in, after 14-15, that’s your moment. It doesn’t matter if we’re down one or two plots. When You get the positivity from the coach and the captain, you just focus on what you’re going to do. But I shouldn’t be thinking about when I’m going to come in to hit. What I think about is what I can do in that time, whether it’s three overs , one over or one delivery “.
Rashid dismissed suggestions that players who have come to the UAE having played in the CPL will have an advantage over other players who have not played any form of cricket in recent months. “The players have been here for the last three weeks,” he said. “Still, it’s totally different to play a game, but if you’re a professional cricketer, those five or six months shouldn’t affect you that much. That’s how I felt also when I played in CPL for the first time. I had a good network sessions. and as soon as i got back on the field i didn’t feel like i was playing after five or six months. i’ve been playing consistently for the last four or five years and all of a sudden if there’s a five to six month break it shouldn’t affect me much I think that would be the case for everyone else as well. You only need five-six-ten deliveries to get back. ”
Rashid’s duel against Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in the intermediate overs could become the key in the RCB’s innings, but the young Afghan is up for the challenge. “Although I just played in the CPL, the IPL is a different league, a different pressure,” he said. “And then you’re playing against big names, like Virat, AB de Villiers. I’ve pitched him in the World Cup and IPL before. You have to throw your best deliveries against him. He’s certainly one of the best players, but no there is excuse to throw a bad ball at him where he can crush you anywhere. I will do my best to keep it simple and enjoy my game. ”
The 22-year-old has also revealed that he’s not worried about a lack of ground as of late, as long as he’s efficient enough to win games. Rashid’s attack rate since 2019 in T20 cricket has increased significantly compared to previous years and teams prefer to take a cautious approach against leggie. “To be honest, I never think that I have to take all this terrain,” he said. “I’m always focusing on bowling financially. When I bowling financially, that helps other bowlers on the side take wickets as well.
“I’ve always focused on throwing a lot of point balls and putting pressure on the batter, to try to take risks from the other side, or even against me. That’s what I’m mainly thinking about. What is the team requirement on that one? Now, should I make the request rate high? Do I need to shoot spot balls? If I take five wickets and the team loses, it doesn’t make sense. If I take one wicket but we win the match, That’s what matters.
Given that players are expected to stay in the bubble for two months, Rashid admitted that it is vital for everyone to stay mentally fresh to give 100% on the field. “It’s 14 games and at the same time, you also have those restrictions,” he said. “The guy who can enjoy the most and stay mentally fresh, I think he will succeed in this competition. That will be the most difficult challenge for all the players.”
© Cricbuzz
