Kedar Jadhav could not
save the match for his team Delhi Daredevils in Raipur, despite of an awesome
unbeaten 63 runs in just 34 balls. The
middle-order batsman Jadhav was a man on a mission as he with the comany of
Saurabh Tiwary, tried to take his crew members across the victory line. However,
victory once again was not with the JP Duminy-led side.
After
getting defeat by 6 runs against the SRH, a forlorn Jadhav talks with iplt20.com about
the chase and how his batting had evolved under the guidance of Pravin Amre.
Excerpts from the interview:
How much did the loss of three quick wickets in the middle affect the chase after the flying start?
We lost a bit of momentum there. But I feel after that we made a good comeback. Maybe in the last two-three overs we couldn’t hit as many big shots as we would have liked. There was maybe one odd ball to be hit, but I was late; especially Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) bowled good yorkers and Ishant (Sharma) too used a few variations. So it was a bit difficult to pick him. I feel that the luck factor too was missing.
But you did play a superb knock. Can you tell us about it?
I enjoyed batting today but I am disappointed (about the loss). Basically throughout the season, I didn’t emphasise much on making improvisations. I had collected fours and sixes off basic shots. I was reluctant to build an innings and I depended more on hitting the big shots. But today I had decided at the beginning that I would build the innings. And even if I connect the shots I would keep the flow of runs ticking with singles and I could do it. I am satisfied with the way I played, but not happy.
Throughout the season I have been middling the ball well, but when it came to building an innings, it wasn’t translating into bigger knocks, maybe because of temperament, maturity, focus, etc. And on most occasions the situation was similar when I came in to bat, with the team needing like 70 odd runs from 30 balls or some such equation. At that time if someone from the other end would have also hit the big shots then I’d get time to build an innings. The team depended on me, so hitting the big shots was necessary and I guess in the last few games I would hit one big shot and got out.
A particular four towards third man off Bhuvneshwar Kumar stood out. Tell us about the improvisation
Bhuvi knew that if he bowls a yorker at the stumps I would hit the lap shot. So he tried bowling a wide yorker. But because the third man was inside I could guide it easily to the fence.
What was the discussion with Saurabh Tiwary about in the latter part of the chase?
We were discussing that we should finish the game even though Albie Morkel was still to bat. I told him we will get a boundary every over, but you should go for the hits too. (I told him) just because I am hitting, you don’t just look for the singles but hit when you can so that will put pressure on the bowler. But unfortunately, he got some very good balls and he couldn’t connect.
You were in the match till almost the very end. How do you look back on it?
When you need 16 off the last over and the first ball has gone to the boundary and with 12 needed of five balls, we needed one six to change the equation. If it had come down to six needed off four balls it would have created a lot of pressure for the bowling side, but that one big hit eluded us till the end.
How tough was the target?
It wasn’t unchaseable. But we had given a few runs too many towards the end. When they were taking singles we could have forced them to hit the big shots.
How has Zaheer Khan’s coming into the team helped?
His coming into the side has definitely made a lot of difference. He is the captain of the bowling team I would say. He leads from the front and the way he guides Nathan Coulter-Nile, the experience shows. Since Zaheer has come in, Coulter-Nile too has got more wickets and become our top wicket-taker.
What is your take away from this IPL season?
The innings that I built today has given me confidence. In the remaining two games I will try to build innings like this and try to win a game for my team. I was promoted up the order in the last few games but wasn’t clicking. But in this innings I was able to build an innings and for that I thank Gary (Kirsten) and the support staff. Earlier I used to come and bat for last 10-12 odd deliveries on most occasions but in the last few games they have promoted me up the order. I was sent in to bat after 10-12 overs. I couldn’t convert those opportunities it into big knocks earlier, but today I could play a good innings. So I guess I would get to bat in the middle-order with few overs left. I have a good range of shots; so if run-a-ball is required or there is a difference of 20-30 runs I can finish those games.
How has the presence of Gary Kirsten and Pravin Amre helped?
It has helped, definitely. T20 is a game where your technique can go haywire because of all the hitting around. Pravin sir has worked a lot with me on my basics and because of that I can hit my big shots with ease. Earlier big shots meant power, but he convinced me that if your head is under the ball, hands are clear and the body position is good, then you can hit those shots further effortlessly.
Excerpts from the interview:
How much did the loss of three quick wickets in the middle affect the chase after the flying start?
We lost a bit of momentum there. But I feel after that we made a good comeback. Maybe in the last two-three overs we couldn’t hit as many big shots as we would have liked. There was maybe one odd ball to be hit, but I was late; especially Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) bowled good yorkers and Ishant (Sharma) too used a few variations. So it was a bit difficult to pick him. I feel that the luck factor too was missing.
But you did play a superb knock. Can you tell us about it?
I enjoyed batting today but I am disappointed (about the loss). Basically throughout the season, I didn’t emphasise much on making improvisations. I had collected fours and sixes off basic shots. I was reluctant to build an innings and I depended more on hitting the big shots. But today I had decided at the beginning that I would build the innings. And even if I connect the shots I would keep the flow of runs ticking with singles and I could do it. I am satisfied with the way I played, but not happy.
Throughout the season I have been middling the ball well, but when it came to building an innings, it wasn’t translating into bigger knocks, maybe because of temperament, maturity, focus, etc. And on most occasions the situation was similar when I came in to bat, with the team needing like 70 odd runs from 30 balls or some such equation. At that time if someone from the other end would have also hit the big shots then I’d get time to build an innings. The team depended on me, so hitting the big shots was necessary and I guess in the last few games I would hit one big shot and got out.
A particular four towards third man off Bhuvneshwar Kumar stood out. Tell us about the improvisation
Bhuvi knew that if he bowls a yorker at the stumps I would hit the lap shot. So he tried bowling a wide yorker. But because the third man was inside I could guide it easily to the fence.
What was the discussion with Saurabh Tiwary about in the latter part of the chase?
We were discussing that we should finish the game even though Albie Morkel was still to bat. I told him we will get a boundary every over, but you should go for the hits too. (I told him) just because I am hitting, you don’t just look for the singles but hit when you can so that will put pressure on the bowler. But unfortunately, he got some very good balls and he couldn’t connect.
You were in the match till almost the very end. How do you look back on it?
When you need 16 off the last over and the first ball has gone to the boundary and with 12 needed of five balls, we needed one six to change the equation. If it had come down to six needed off four balls it would have created a lot of pressure for the bowling side, but that one big hit eluded us till the end.
How tough was the target?
It wasn’t unchaseable. But we had given a few runs too many towards the end. When they were taking singles we could have forced them to hit the big shots.
How has Zaheer Khan’s coming into the team helped?
His coming into the side has definitely made a lot of difference. He is the captain of the bowling team I would say. He leads from the front and the way he guides Nathan Coulter-Nile, the experience shows. Since Zaheer has come in, Coulter-Nile too has got more wickets and become our top wicket-taker.
What is your take away from this IPL season?
The innings that I built today has given me confidence. In the remaining two games I will try to build innings like this and try to win a game for my team. I was promoted up the order in the last few games but wasn’t clicking. But in this innings I was able to build an innings and for that I thank Gary (Kirsten) and the support staff. Earlier I used to come and bat for last 10-12 odd deliveries on most occasions but in the last few games they have promoted me up the order. I was sent in to bat after 10-12 overs. I couldn’t convert those opportunities it into big knocks earlier, but today I could play a good innings. So I guess I would get to bat in the middle-order with few overs left. I have a good range of shots; so if run-a-ball is required or there is a difference of 20-30 runs I can finish those games.
How has the presence of Gary Kirsten and Pravin Amre helped?
It has helped, definitely. T20 is a game where your technique can go haywire because of all the hitting around. Pravin sir has worked a lot with me on my basics and because of that I can hit my big shots with ease. Earlier big shots meant power, but he convinced me that if your head is under the ball, hands are clear and the body position is good, then you can hit those shots further effortlessly.
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