Yadav, back from break, pitches it right
TOUGH TASK David Warner will be expected to provide Hyderabad a start against a chargedup Kolkata
old Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan has started his maiden IPL stint with a bang, already having six wickets in his kitty.
But in KKR, the tourists will face a side basking in the glory of a marauding eight-wicket triumph over Kings XI Punjab on Thursday at the same venue.
Gambhir led from the front with an unbeaten 72 off 49 as the twice IPL champions recorded their season’s first home victory in style with 21 balls to spare. Sunil Narine vindicated his team’s decision to promote him as an opening bat by cracking a 18-ball 37 to set the stage for his side’s win with Robin Uthappa (26 off 16) and Manish Pandey (25 off 16 n.o) getting starts.
While chasing, KKR seemed to be preferring a foil to Gambhir who would whack the ball from the outset. Chris Lynn was just what the doctor had ordered as the Australian bludgeoned 93 off 41 balls in the first game against Gujarat Lions. But with him out for a lengthy period due to a shoulder injury, that option was gone. Narine, much to everyone’s surprise, filled the that role studiously on Thursday and KKR would be hoping the West Indian mystery spinner can continue that.
In nine matches played between the two teams, SRH have won only thrice, finishing second best six times.
When you are in the middle of a good run, even full tosses, albeit ones bowled at a furious pace, fetch you wickets. Ask Umesh Yadav.
Umesh Yadav went for 10 in the first two balls of his final over but took three wickets in the next four. Two of them, David Miller and Wriddhiman Saha, came from deliveries that didn’t land.
That over and Sunil Narine’s heavy artillery were crucial to the Kolkata Knight Riders’ easy win against Kings XI Punjab on Thursday.
“That too (the third ball) was a full toss but I think it reversed a bit. After getting hit in the first two deliveries, I felt that I had bowled two bad balls. But I also told myself that the game could change from here if I get my length right,” said Umesh Yadav.
Umesh Yadav began IPL 10 with an eight-ball over where he conceded 11. Not quite getting into the groove straightaway -expected since he was coming off a break -- but indication of how well he has been bowling were there all right. Yadav beat the bat once, got bounce and strayed only once down leg-side.
Crucially, on an Eden wicket of the kind that Kings XI Punjab pacer Ishant Sharma said is difficult to find in India, Umesh Yadav didn’t get carried away by the assistance on offer.
He didn’t forget to praise it though. “It’s good that the CAB (Cricket Association of Bengal) has laid out a wicket good for batsmen and bowlers,” said Yadav.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ skipper Gautam Gambhir brought Umesh Yadav back in the sixth over and, managing to land a yorker and not erring in length, he went for four.
Back in the innings’ 12th over, Yadav dismissed Glenn Maxwell cramping the KXIP skipper for room.
Wriddhiman Saha got a boundary off the last ball but it came off an edge. In three overs, Yadav had conceded 22 and got a wicket. And then came the 18th. “Getting back to the IPL was good, getting four wickets at the start was even better. I am trying my best to carry on what I have done,” said Yadav.
The inaccuracy of yore, despite Wasim Akram being the Kolkata Knight Riders’ bowling coach, didn’t surface on Thursday and Yadav attributed that to playing regularly and working on the advice of India coaches Sanjay Bangar and Anil Kumble.
“The more you play, the better you become. Ek tappa set ho jaate hai (you get into the groove). Your line and length improves. My thinking too has improved as Sanjay bhai and Anil bhai have taught me when to think of taking wickets, when to bowl maidens.
“Also, earlier when I would want to bowl fast, I would run in fast too. Sanjay bhai told me by doing that I was missing my rhythm. He told me to enjoy running in, stay relaxed and then try to bowl fast. That worked,” said Umesh Yadav.
The more you play, the better you become. Ek tappa set ho jaata hai. Your line and length improves. My thinking too has improved as Sanjay bhai and Anil bhai have taught me.