Gulf News looks back at this week's action of the T20 cricket showpiece now underway in the UAE. Chirag Suri, UAE’s opening batsman who was a part of IPL 2017, chats with our cricket pundits.
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00:00I think rightfully so you would say that they're the top two teams because they've really impressed us.
00:13Hello, a very good day to all of you. This is Gautam Bhattacharya from Dalt News. We are back
00:19again with our weekly dose of a review with Chirag Suri. With me is Shyam Krishna, my colleague. We
00:25have been dealing with various aspects of IPL so far but now it's the business end. Four more
00:30matches to go and we'll get to know that whether we'll have a new champion or will it be again
00:36Mumbai Indians. Mumbai Indians, four-time champions. They have the big match temperament. They know how
00:41to close out these matches. Delhi Capitals, you know, for two years in a row there had been a
00:46tremendous turnaround in their fortunes. They have met the playoffs again. They really started
00:52with the bank. They had a low in between but then again the last match there was some calming
00:57influence with Rahane's contribution. How do you look at the two teams' chances this evening in Dubai?
01:02I think you summed it up pretty well. Delhi, you know, last couple of years, change in franchise
01:08owners, change in management. Things seem to be working for them. You know, they're doing things
01:12differently what probably they didn't do in the first 10 years. They've built a team around, you
01:17know, strong Indian talent. Couple of really good overseas talent. They made a really good, you know,
01:23mix of players in the last couple of years. So, I think credit to the Delhi Capitals team. Mumbai
01:28Indians, every season we go in and they're just our favourites. Just how consistent they are. Their
01:33players, their management, behind the scenes. They are just a professional, professional outfit.
01:39You know, you can never count a team like Mumbai Indians out. We've seen it year after year.
01:44I think rightfully so, you would say that they are the top two teams. Because they've really
01:48impressed us over the course of the last month or so. I think so, rightfully they deserve those
01:52two, you know, top spots in this table. When you come about today's game, leading up, Delhi's had a
01:58little bit of a dip in form, you can say. You know, struggling with their opening pair. But seeing
02:02all of that, you know, they've definitely had a great IPL so far. Really well led by Shreyas.
02:09And today, crunch day, you know, obviously, struck some form last game. You know, got a win under
02:14the belt. Dhawan amongst the runs again. You know, Rahane coming through. And these are really good
02:20signs for Delhi. I feel the wickets have slowed down, which has kind of affected that, you know,
02:26powerful combination which the Delhi Capitals team have had the whole IPL. You know, wickets slowing
02:32down has not been in favour of them. Delhi with the kind of pace attack they have, you know, they
02:37found it difficult as the tournament has gone along. Even the batsmen like, you know, Shreyas, Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw,
02:42they like the pace on the ball, you know. So, they've also, you know, they've found it difficult, you know,
02:46found it tough going. But saying that today, new game, fresh start. You might even see a fresh wicket in Dubai.
02:54You know, I think, if I'm not mistaken, I was at the stadium and I feel that they're preparing a
02:58fresh wicket. So, if that is the case, and we see some pace and bounce on Gary, it might affect
03:04the, you know, the result. And it might favour the Delhi Capitals. Mumbai Indians, obviously,
03:09a very, very well-oiled team. They know how to handle these pressure games. Little bit of
03:15uncertainty with the skip-up. We still don't know what's going on over there. Maybe that's playing
03:20on the back of their mind. Is that going to affect them in this current situation? Yes, no. I think
03:25they're a really good enough side to get behind that. With both teams, there seems to be suddenly
03:30a question mark with the opener's issue. Rohit, he himself said that his left hamstring, that he's
03:35fine. A lot of newsprint has been spent on that. For Delhi, with, you know, Prithvi Shaw suddenly
03:41losing the confidence after that 3-4 innings. In this 4 times that Mumbai have won, we don't have
03:48to, you know, like again reiterate Rohit's contribution as a batsman there. Do you think
03:53coming out of… If he was actually coming out of a niggle as an opener, I mean, how do you see it
03:58affecting his game? When it's crunch time, you want your body to support you. Because you want
04:02every bit of extra support or that… You want to be 100% going into any crunch game.
04:08Let alone, you know, play-off game for the final of the IPL. But seeing that Rohit Sharma has come
04:13good time and again in these last leg of the tournament. You know, this is when he starts to fire.
04:18In these crucial games, he's a big stage player. And don't be surprised if he's amongst the runs
04:24today and he'll put everything behind him. All this noise that has been going on, he's one to
04:29shut people's mouth up. So, I really feel that, you know, going into this game, he's pumped up. He's got a
04:34point to prove. And he loves those kind of situations. He is a dangerous player in today's game.
04:39Yesterday, we were doing this Zoom call with Shikhar. And he was asked about the possibility of him
04:45going out to open with Stoinis. Understandably, he was little evasive. So, we don't know if there's
04:50some thinking going on in the team management camp. What's your take on that?
04:54It's a bit too late to make such kind of changes. You know, Stoinis has done well in the middle
04:59order. You know, finishing games for them. Those getting those crucial runs in the
05:02middle overs and towards the end. He's finished games really well. I think it's too late to do
05:07such changes. You back Prithvi, sure. You tell Prithvi, you know, just go out there, enjoy yourself.
05:12We're backing you. And you know, they've tried to put Rahane up the order. He hasn't got the run.
05:16But yesterday, last game, he was amongst the runs. You know, when you're chasing,
05:21scores like 150, 160, you know, those seven, eight runs in over. That's when Rahane is really
05:27well-suited to those kind of games. Where he can hold one end up, score at about 100, 120
05:33strike rate. And you know, without causing too much pressure on the other backs when he gets
05:37the game through. So, this is what you expect from Rahane. You know, just take the ship and
05:42cruise through in such games. But the moment you're chasing above 160, 170, 180, then you need
05:50your openness to give you a good start. In the first six overs, you want to get three-plus runs.
05:55Because you want to make use of that powerplay. So, it'll be interesting to see the kind of
05:59approach. Maybe if they're bad first, they go up to three and double. Maybe if they're bad second,
06:03they might be sceptical to a few changes if they want to get off to a good start. But I don't think
06:09making such drastic changes is ideal right now. I don't know if Shyam would agree. But that's what I would say.
06:16I completely agree with you. Because it would have made sense in the league phase. Definitely not
06:21at this stage of the tournament. No. You want to do the minimum changes. Because you know your
06:26players now. Now you back them.
06:28Sunrisers, Hyderabad. It's a kind of a blood and sweat kind of story. Injuries, lot of up and down form.
06:34Not a good start at all. And then suddenly we see the team crystallizing, winning those three
06:40crunch games. What are your expectations out of Sunrisers, Hyderabad, since they are going to
06:45take on Virat Kohli's RCB? I always say that Hyderabad, at least in this IPL, they are
06:51punching above their weight. What happens is, sometimes it doesn't come off. Which is why you
06:56have seen them losing from winning positions. Their first game in the IPL 2020 was against RCB.
07:04So Royal Challengers were on the mat. And actually they lost the match from a winning position.
07:10Actually there was a spectacular collapse in the middle order. Now that is the RCB at the beginning
07:17of the tournament. Now like you said, if you look at the last three games, the way they have really
07:22come off, you are going to see a different Sunrisers, Hyderabad when RCB meets this time.
07:29So I would say, it is more a match of equals now, which was not the case earlier. I wouldn't be
07:36surprised if Sunrisers pull off an upset. Because if they can replicate what they did against Mumbai,
07:42RCB is in for trouble. Chirag, another thing here, if you look at tomorrow's opponents,
07:47both with RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad, the batting by and large is dependent on the top
07:52order again. RCB for all the talk about the RCB being a superpower in batting. Comparatively,
07:59if you are looking with SRH, with Jason Holder coming in in the lower order, even though Vijay
08:06Shankar is out with injury unfortunately, they seem now a little more sorted. Which team actually
08:11has a better balance in terms of that? SRH, they have always depended on their bowling. And I feel
08:17that when they bowl well, they get teams out in that 150-160 mark. They chase very comfortably.
08:24I still feel as a batting unit, yes, you may say SRH is looking strong on paper and they might
08:32look like they have a deeper, longer batting line-up. But I still feel they haven't fired as
08:36SRH would have liked during the whole tournament. They have been inconsistent. We haven't seen one
08:41really have a great season. Or a couple of guys really have good partnerships along the season.
08:46When it comes to RCB, yes, they are a very top-order heavy team. And we know that for the
08:52last 5-6 years now. They are a top-heavy team. This is the fact. And you have to face the facts.
08:57And they are used to it now. If they bowl well, if they restrict the team to 150-160, I think
09:03they will find it easy to chase. The moment it goes to 170-180 and there is pressure on a Virat
09:08or an AB from ball one, and they don't quite fire at the top, then it's trouble for RCB as well.
09:14So I think it really depends on how well they bowl. And it depends a lot on the toss as well,
09:20I feel. Both sides will look to chase, if I'm not mistaken. And we'll have to see on the day
09:26who really has a good day. We'll have to wait and watch on that one. A lot depends on the wicket as well.
09:30There have been cases of so near, yet so far, for especially two teams. One is
09:38Kolkata Nitridis. And of course, Kings XI Punjab. When the next season comes, and that's
09:44not too many months away, honestly. What do they need to do? Possibly, they need to trust their
09:50core Indian players a little more. What do you think, Chirag? I would say that Kings XI Punjab
09:55definitely a good team on paper. I think they did well as well with the bat. I just feel that
10:01with the ball, there was not too much to offer. We saw Ravi Bishnoi bowl well and Harshdeep.
10:06But there was no senior fast bowler who stepped up, really. That's what's been lacking.
10:11Kings XI Punjab, batting-wise, I think even after Mayank Agarwal leaving,
10:16Mandeep Singh coming in. So, they've had the depth in their batting. They've not fell short. They've always scored
10:21180-190. But teams have chased it down. There is definitely certain things they would like to
10:26improve on. Even whether it is maybe bringing in sort of an all-rounder into the mix as well.
10:33It could be in the lower-middle order, you know. So, it depends. Every team has their own
10:37needs and sort of management thinking. For KKR, they left it too late. Too many changes. Too much
10:44chopping going on. Captain changes. Depending on other results isn't always gonna work out in your
10:50paper. I feel KKR, you know, new conditions. They had to adapt quicker. They had to be more flexible.
10:56But then again, you know, these teams will come back strong maybe more so of a strategy
11:01than more of a player aspect for KKR.
11:04Let's look forward to these four games.
11:06You have to pick two finalists. I think my top two, I'd love a Delhi-Mumbai final. Why not?
11:11Today is just a warm-up for the final. Let's say that.
11:14I'm just gonna take a completely different tack on. As Cricketing Logic says, what Chirag
11:19just said, of course, top two teams win the final. But I'm gonna take a bet on Sunrisers-Hyderabad.
11:27My pick will be Mumbai versus Sunrisers-Hyderabad.
11:30I would really like to see a new champion this time.
11:36Yes, I would like to put my money on Delhi or either Delhi or RCB. But you know, you can't
11:43keep Bombay out. So I think one of my finalists will have to be Mumbai. And I would like to see
11:50Virat Kohli in the final again after a while. That's it. Thank you again, Chirag. Thank you for
11:56taking part. And let's catch up to find out, you know, what had been our hits and misses.
11:59Thank you, Gautam.
12:01Thank you very much. Loved it.
12:04Thank you, guys. Cheers.