IPL 2017: We Opted To Bowl Jaydev Because We Wanted To Take The Pace Off In The Final Over: Ajinkya Rahane

Apr 25, 2017 at 9:19 AM

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IPL 2017: We Opted To Bowl Jaydev Because We Wanted To Take The Pace Off In The Final Over: Ajinkya Rahane

Rising Pune Supergiant opener Ajinkya Rhagane has revealed the reason behind his team’s decision to give the all important last over to Jaydev Unadkat against Mumbai Indians.

Chasing 161, the two-time IPL champions kept on losing wickets at regular intervals but skipper Rohit Sharma kept them in the hunt with a fighting fifty. The equation came down to 39 runs in the last 4 overs and with a well-set Rohit and Kieron Pollard at the crease, Mumbai were looking destined to win their seventh match in a row. However, the dismissal of Pollard on the very first ball of the 17th over an 15 runs in the next two overs set up a nervy finish to the match.

The equation came down to 24 runs from the final two and then 17 runs off the final over after Ben Stokes conceded just 7 runs in the penultimate over. With Dan Christian, who had conceded just 6 runs off his 1 over, and Shardul Thakur present, Steve Smith handed the ball to Unadkat and the decision was a brilliant one as the left-arm pacer defended the runs to steer his team to their fourth win of the tournament.

Rahane said they did not want to give the Mumbai Indians batsmen the pace to time the shots and hence the decision to give the final over to Unadkat, who can mix the pace of the ball well.

On the first ball, he accounted for the dangerous Hardik Pandya after the all-rounder’s shot was taken brilliantly by Stokes at deep extra cover. The next ball was hit for a six by Rohit, bringing down the equation to 11 from the last 4 balls.

But the things changed from the third ball when Rohit left a delivery thinking it to be a wide, only to see the umpire giving his decision in the favour of the bowler. A furious Rohit was seen having a heated conversation with the umpires before perishing on the next ball. The visitors eventually won the match by 3 runs.

“Yeah, I think after the 19th over when Smith, Mahi bhai and I were discussing, we talked about bowling Shardul or Jaydev.” Rahane said at the post-match conference.

 

“But we opted to bowl Jaydev because Shardul has a lot of pace, and we wanted to take the pace off and not give the batsmen any in the last over. JD’s pace comparatively is slower than Shardul and his slower ball could’ve been more effective as the wicket was slow. We didn’t want to give them any pace because Rohit was already set.”

Rahane further said that the decision to not call the third ball of the final over a wide was a correct one before defending Rohit Sharma’s conduct.

“I think it was the right call,” said Rahane. “As a batsman, when you move, that area goes to the bowler. Rohit’s behaviour at that point was natural. As a captain, as a player, when the game is so close, it comes automatically, nobody thinks these things through and then do them. I don’t think it was wrong on his part. It happens on the field and remains on the field. It is part and parcel of the game. In this format, in close games, this will happen in the future as well. You should respect the umpire’s decision as well as what Rohit did. It was natural.”

He also sounded pleased with his batting efforts. The India batsman had scored 38 runs off 32 balls with the help of 5 fours and 1 six.

“I am really happy with the way I am batting at the moment. It’s important to spend time in the middle but right now the way I am middling the ball, the way  I am timing the ball, I am really happy at the moment. As long as we are winning the match, that is what important for me and my team,” he said.

“I think switching from Test to T20 is all about mental adjustment. I did that completely well. I am looking forward to the coming games. We are going to play three games in a row in Pune now so we will have home advantage,” he added.

 

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