Refresh, reset — recipe for Connolly’s success

One innings was all that Cooper Connolly needed to reverse his fortunes, both literally and statistically. The left-handed Australian went from scoring only 27 runs in his previous seven T20 appearances to accumulating an unconquered 72 on his IPL debut.

In the face-off against Gujarat Titans in New Chandigarh on Tuesday, the Punjab Kings batter exhibited why he is a much better player than the recent poor returns suggested. For the 22-year-old, a brief period away from the sport did the trick.

“I had a couple of weeks at home to refresh and reset. That was probably the point where I changed and told myself that I was going to go to the IPL fresh,” Connolly said after deservedly winning the Player-of-the-Match trophy for his well-constructed knock.

There was never a question mark over the sheer talent he possesses; it was about how often he could convert potential into productivity. Connolly’s mental strength to overcome failures and begin a new chapter with a bang impressed Yuzvendra Chahal.

“Connolly is only 22 years old, but he is very hungry. The way he performed at No. 3 in his very first IPL game and the match-winning innings he delivered show how mature he is mentally. This is a good sign for our team. The way he is batting, he could be one of the finds of the season,” said Chahal, another shining light for PBKS in its season opener.

Also among the members of the unofficial Connolly fan army is Kings captain Shreyas Iyer. “Some of the shots he played were surreal to watch. Connolly has got great awareness as a player. He has a great mindset and hopefully he continues with the same form,” Shreyas sang the praises of the new recruit.

PBKS would hope that Tuesday’s masterclass was the first of many in red and blue.