IPL 2017: Paddy Upton Not Worried Despite A Spate Of Injuries

Apr 8, 2017 at 10:41 AM

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IPL 2017: Paddy Upton Not Worried Despite A Spate Of Injuries

The last thing a team, who has not managed to secure a place higher than sixth in the last four years, needs is injuries to some of their most important players ahead of the fresh new season. Delhi Daredevils will begin the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League without two of their most dependable players-Quinton de Kock and JP Duminy, both the players have been ruled out of the entire tournament while another important player, Shreyas Iyer is also set to miss the early part of the tournament owing to chicken pox. Their new foreign recruit Angelo Mathews is also doubtful for the first few matches due to an injury. Considering the fact that the team is full of youngsters, losing players of the calibre of de Kock, Duminy will be a mighty blow for the Delhi Daredevils outfit.

Not only that, another vital part of their team is going through a time right now. Rishabh Pant recently mourned the death of his father on Wednesday night. The Delhi youngster left the Delhi Daredevils camp on Thursday morning (April 6) and is expected to join the team ahead of the team’s opening game against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Saturday.

But Delhi’s head coach Paddy Upton sounded upbeat despite suffering so many setbacks and urged his team to stick together to deal with the adversaries.

 

“What do you tell a 20-year-old (19-year-old) kid who has just lost his father? It is very, very difficult particularly when a tragedy happens like this suddenly,” Upton said on Friday (April 7). “We are going to really need the whole team to rally around him to give him a lot of support not only over the next couple of days but throughout the IPL. Something like this is obviously going to affect him in the medium and long term. We just have to be mindful and supportive of his personal situation and family situation.”

“We are very fortunate that the squad that was selected was very deliberately selected,” he said. “Yes, it is a blow to not have Angelo Mathews, Quinton de Kock… Shreyas obviously still has a couple of days away with his chicken pox. But for the moment we have got the back-ups for the next two games that we need so that we don’t compromise,” he added.

Speaking on Iyer’s condition, Upton said:“We look forward to having Shreyas Iyer back in probably three, four days time. The chicken pox is pretty much clear now. Angelo Mathews, we are waiting to hear from Sri Lanka Cricket when they can clear him of his calf niggle. Quinton de Kock, there is no real decision made yet but fortunately, we have got very good back up in terms of Sam Billings at the top.”

The bowling department, meanwhile, looks well balanced and quite strong. In the form of Amit Mishra, Shahbaz Nadeem, Jayant Yadav and Murugan Ashwin, the two-time semifinalists have enough options to choose from for the spin-attack while experienced Zaheer Khan will lead the pace attack which has been bolstered by the addition of world-class Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins. Upton sounded excited to work with South Africa pace spearhead Rabada.

 

“It is actually my first opportunity to work with Kagiso Rabada. We had not met before. It is only in India that we met each other personally. It is not about me telling me anything, it is more about me learning what works for Rabada, how he wants to be managed, what he is looking from the IPL and how as a coaching support staff we can help him deliver his potential over the next 12 to 13 games. He is a very, very exciting prospect. He is very competitive, very hungry,” said Upton.

“Obviously he is a great bowler, he is very fit. In his first IPL, he will be looking forward to enjoying himself and putting in some good performances. It is nice that he has got some really nice international fast bowlers around him. Pat Cummins, they can work in tandem and share their knowledge with each other and with some of the other fast bowlers in the squad as well,” he added.

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