Rajasthan Royal’s Yashasvi Jaiswal plays a shot during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket Qualifier-2 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) at M.A Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk in Chennai on Friday.
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Rajasthan Royals’ Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara has admitted that fatigue played a big part in their poor run at the back end of the ongoing IPL, which possibly derailed their campaign.

RR, who won eight out of their opening nine matches, were firmly in contention to finish in the top two.

But, the Sanju Samson-led side endured a four-match losing streak besides a washout tie, which forced the side to settle for a third-place finish.

Although they bounced back with a win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Eliminator, Sunrisers Hyderabad got the better of RR in Qualifier 2 here on Friday.

“I think it was a great season for us. We started well, and then we lost a close game to SRH in Hyderabad and (in) Delhi also, we put ourselves in winning positions,” he said during the post-match media interaction after their 36-run loss to SRH.

“Sometimes you have streaks. RCB lost almost every game at the start and then caught up. That’s how T20 goes. All we can do is put ourselves in positions of playoffs and vying for finals, which we did.”

“I think all the guys throughout the season played phenomenal cricket. There was a little bit of fatigue at the back end, but it doesn’t matter when you’re in games like this. You gotta turn up and perform.”

Chasing a target of 176, RR were 65 for two by the eighth over, but kept on losing wickets in clusters thereafter, leading to their downfall.

Commenting on the defeat, Sangakkara felt the middle-order could have done better.

“It was just a case of being smart and keeping our composure. Unfortunately, when you lose wickets in clusters, it becomes hard,” he said.

“Even in the RCB chase, if you lose wickets, it gets tense and close. Unfortunately, we needed a little bit more from our middle-order.”

RR were also without Jos Buttler, who has been a force for the team in the top order.

While Sangakkara said that international scheduling was something that they couldn’t control, he felt that other batters should have stepped up.

“We always say that the best ability is availability, and unfortunately, we lost Jos. He is a big loss, without a doubt,” he said.

“When you’re in a playoff like this, and you’ve got that start without Jos, we expect the other batters to also step up.” RR have a few players travelling to the Americas for the T20 World Cup next month, namely Avesh Khan, Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Avesh has been the side’s highest wicket-taker for the season, with 19 wickets in 15 innings at an economy of 9.59, and Sangakkara was all-praise for the fast bowler.

“We traded Devdutt Padikkal (to Lucknow Super Giants) for Avesh because we knew how good he was, and he’s shown that throughout this tournament. And, that’s why he’s a travelling reserve as well for the World Cup for India,” he said. “He’s got a great presence and good clarity. He’s very good at finishing off in the death. I think he’s been phenomenal for RR.

“And, we couldn’t ask for a better trier. He bowls a lot in training. He’s always up for a game. I thought again today he was outstanding.”

“Don’t have time to commit full-time to an India coaching job”

Sangakkara clearly refused any intention of applying for the India head coach’s job, citing time issues.

“I have not been approached, and I don’t have time to commit full-time to an India coaching job. Happy with my stint with Royals, and let’s see how it goes,” he concluded.

SRH’s Travis Head in action.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

The wheel of fortune spins quite fast in the Indian Premier League. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, who meet in Qualifier 2 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here, will attest to this.

SRH went into Tuesday’s Qualifier 1 on the back of authoritative victories over Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings, only for table-topper Kolkata Knight Riders to reduce it to rubble.

RR went into Wednesday’s Eliminator following a five-game winless run that included four defeats, but managed to edge out the high-flying Royal Challengers Bengaluru by four wickets

Shifts in momentum

Friday’s clash will thus pit two sides that have seen shifts in momentum, and each side will be hoping that Lady Fortuna sheds her capricious whims and smiles only in its direction.

SRH leader Pat Cummins explained his team’s effort against KKR as “bit off the pace” and seemed glad that it had not come in a must-win game. After all, one of the perks of finishing in the top-two is that you get two bites at the cherry.

SRH will hope that the second bite too doesn’t taste as bitter. For that, the top-order — led by the marauder-in-chief Travis Head and little tornado Abhishek Sharma that has helped amass 100-plus PowerPlay runs twice — has to recover after being stung by Mitchell Starc.

It now has the arduous task of countering another left-arm quick in Kiwi Trent Boult, whose swing and guile pegged RCB back in the PowerPlay. The world-class duo of R. Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal — an asset SRH doesn’t possess — will present a spin challenge like no other and there is also the death-overs craftiness of Avesh Khan to deal with.

Ashwin, in fact, turned in a Player-of-the-Match performance against RCB (4-0-19-2) and Chepauk is his home turf, the spin-friendly conditions of which he knows like the back of his hand.

RR will also take heart from Shimron Hetmyer’s return and his crucial role — alongside compatriot Rovman Powell — in handling a nervous chase versus RCB.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who has replaced fellow Englishman Jos Buttler in the XI, provided a glimpse of his bonafide T20 credentials in the last match. If he comes good on the grandest of stages, RR will be extremely pleased.

With the conditions set to be hot and humid, and dew expected to arrive during the second innings, teams would ideally prefer chasing. But five of SRH’s eight wins have come batting first. It floundered in its last attempt to set a target. Will it back its strength or go with accepted wisdom?

Squads

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aiden Markram, Abdul Samad, Nitish Reddy, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, T Natarajan, Mayank Markande, Umran Malik, Anmolpreet Singh, Glenn Phillips (wk), Rahul Tripathi, Washington Sundar, Upendra Yadav (wk), Jhathavedh Subramanyan, Sanvir Singh, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Marco Jansen, Akash Maharaj Singh and Mayank Agarwal.

Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c & wk), Abid Mushtaq, Avesh Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Kuldeep Sen, Kunal Singh Rathore, Nandre Burger, Navdeep Saini, Ravichandran Ashwin, Riyan Parag, Sandeep Sharma, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Rovman Powell, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Trent Boult, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yuzvendra Chahal and Tanush Kotian.

Match starts: 7.30 p.m. (IST)