The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Millercouldbeavailable nextgame:johnson
Gujarat Titans' designated finisher David Miller, who hasn't featured in their last two games which ended in defeats, in all likelihood will also miss their next game against Rajasthan Royals, the team's leftarm Australian pacer Spencer Johnson said on Tuesday.
GT lost to Punjab Kings by three wickets and Lucknow Super Giants by 33 runs in their last two matches, and Miller's firepower was sorely missed at the back-10.
While it is believed to be a niggle, it's learnt that he was supposed to miss at least two weeks of action. "Davy, I think he is not too far away (from return). Even if he misses this one, he will be available for the next one," Johnson said .
Johnson believes that rather than having 2-3 win-loss record for GT, it could easily have been 4-1 in their favour had they not lost a couple of close games. "Couple of disappointing performances in last couple of games but in last couple of years, we have shown how good a side we are," said the pacer.
RECORD
Pat Cummins leads from the front as Sunrisers Hyderabad bounce back from a top-order wobble to post a competitive total before surviving last-over drama to secure a narrow win.
SRH skipper to make another decisive intervention, taking an excellent catch, backpedalling and jumping at mid-on to get rid of the Englishman.
It was the story of the chase as whenever Punjab Kings seemed to get any sort of momentum, they lost a wicket. It showed that Cummins always had a finger on the pulse of the game. The last over may have tested his nerves, but he showed a calm demeanour to ensure that Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, heroes of Punjab Kings' heist against Gujarat Titans, didn't manage an encore.
Speeding on tricky terrain
It's amazing what a bit of help for the bowlersdoesforacricketingcontest.sunrisers Hyderabad, who have espoused an ultra-aggressive approach, were found out in the Powerplay by some high-quality pace bowling from Arshdeep Singh and Kagiso Rabada in Mullanpur. Though it was the Indian leftarm seamer who came away with a fourwicket haul on Tuesday, Rabada set the early template. He should have had Travis Head caught behind on the first ball of the match, only if Punjab Kings had challenged the notout decision. The Australian left-hander survived the opening over more by luck than design, and his first two boundaries came courtesy the outside edge and the inside edge. The conditions should have prompted the visitorstotonedowntheirmethodabit,butthat's not how they play. Head went for a big shot, but the ball skewed off the outside edge due to the swing, and was caught by a back-pedalling Dhawan. Then Aiden Markram edged one that moved away to the wicketkeeper.
That double setback only made Abhishek Verma, who has been enjoying a productive tournament,goharder,butafterastunningoffdriven six and a lazy aerial flick, the youngster got a bit greedy and perished. Impact Player Rahul Tripathi, who may not have expected to be involved, was not quite up to the pace of proceedings. It forced Klaasen, the anointed finisher, to come in with more than half of the inningslefttobenegotiated.hedidn'tstaylong andsunriserswerereducedto100/5withonly seven overs left.
When SRH'S batting comes off, like it did against Mumbai Indians at home, they can almost overshoot the moon, but otherwise it putsalotofpressureontheirlower-middleorder, like it did against Punjab Kings. They responded admirably on the night, but that may not happen every time.
Youngsters step up
Sometimes,whenthemorefanciednames disappoint and the lesser-known players are requiredtobailouttheside,it'stheopportunity that makes a cricketer. Nitish Kumar Reddy had been an untested commodity at IPL level, whileabdulsamadhadbeentried,tested,but not quite delivered during his time with the Sunrisers. But with very little batting capability to come after them, the two took it upon themselves to resurrect the faltering innings.
Nitish, just 20 years of age, showed immense class and was especially impressive againstanythingremotelyshort.oneofhispull shots, off Rabada no less, sailed deep over long leg. He was not short on innovation either, as a reverse-swipeagainsttheusuallymiserlyleftarm spinner Harpreet Brar suggested.
When the bowlers served it up on a fuller length,nitishhadthepowertofindthestands. His 64 off just 37 balls, when the team was under the pump, showed he can be relied upon when the chips are down.
Samad is touted to be a big hitter, but on Tuesday showed he can play traditional shots to good effect as well. He hit five boundaries, noneofthemlandingbeyondtherope,butstill managedastrikerateofovertworunsperball. There were a few shots where a bit of delicate touchwasneededandsamadshowedit.aclip through midwicket, a glance through the onside, and a glide past point proved that he has morestrokesinhisarsenalthanjustthebighit into the stands.
As many as 80 runs came in a six-over period as the pressure was put right back on Punjab Kings. Though both Nitish and Samad were dismissed immediately after the second strategictimeout,sunriserscobbledtheirway to182,whichprovedjustenoughonthenight. Thelast-ballsix,ironicallyhitbyno.11unadkat, parried over the rope by Harshal Patel, proved decisive in the end.
SRH 182/9 in 20 overs (Nitish Kumar Reddy 64; Arshdeep Singh 4/29, Harshal Patel 2/30, Sam Curran 2/41) beat PBKS 180/6 in 20 overs (Shashank Singh 46 not out; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/32) by 2 runs.