Focus on the opening batters as PBKS hosts RR
As Punjab Kings takes on Rajasthan Royals in its second straight home game at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh international cricket stadium here on Saturday, it would want its openers to come good in the PowerPlay.
Out of form
Jonny Bairstow and Shikhar Dhawan haven’t quite fired the way, say, the Sunrisers Hyderabad openers have and that’s been a cause for concern for the Kings.
Batting coach Sanjay Bangar was seen having a chat with them on Thursday, and Bairstow, facing throwdowns from Bangar on Friday, was seen smoking a couple of straight sixes.
Bowling coach Charl Langeveldt on Friday said that he expected the big foreign signings who’ve been patchy so far — Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, and Sam Curran — to “hopefully turn it around sooner than later.”
In terms of bowling, Kings had its best PowerPlay of the season in its last match versus SRH and would want to keep it up against RR.
Livingstone was seen practising bighitting against the spinners in the nets on Friday. Langeveldt said the decision on his inclusion would be taken on the matchday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was the first to face throwdowns in the Royals nets and his team would just hope for him to score big on Saturday.
Injury update
RR spinner Keshav Maharaj on Friday said that Sandeep Sharma was carrying a niggle and didn’t provide
Langeveldt said the decision on Livingstone’s inclusion will be taken on the matchday
an update on the pacer’s fitness.
If he is fit and available, he would undoubtedly be an asset for the Royals in the death overs.
For Kings, much would depend on the bowlers restricting the powerpacked Royals batting.