NEWS
Follow UsWe've witnessed yet another high-scoring match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, as Punjab Kings (PBKS) set the record of the highest successful run-chase in a T20 when they gunned down 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on April 26 (Friday) quite easily.
However, KKR fielding coach Ryan ten Doeschate sympathises with the bowlers, but feels that they have to deal with a way to embrace the challenges. "I don't think it augurs well for the contest between bat and ball, but the facts are that it is here for the season," ten Doeschate said at the post-match press conference.
"There are two ways you can look at it. You can step back and say 'oh it's unfair, we are bowling machines,' or you can say 'we are going to find a way, we are going to be a point of difference compared to other teams', 'we are gonna try new things', 'we are gonna embrace the challenge'.
"Yes it's going to be tough, but you got to find innovative and new ways for the next four weeks at least, it [this season] is going to be there that long, so no point crying about it. Everything was already in the batter's favour, I feel sorry for the bowlers as it's gone more towards their side now. But those are the facts, the realities. My way to deal with this would be to find a way to land a punch back at the batters."
On most days, 261 would be match-winning across the world. However, with 260 breached numerous times in the IPL this season, no target has been safe.
"What type of score is a good score? 260 has gotta be a good score. We didn't stop scoring boundaries. Sunil [Narine] and [Phil] Salt were fantastic, it was nice to see the captain get a bit of rhythm again - probably the biggest positive for us tonight," the former Dutch all-rounder said.
"We could play on this piece of marble here and if you give me 260 runs, it should be enough. There is a danger of aiming too high. We need to aim for at least 240 if the wicket is as good as this."
Many in the recent past have publically stated that they are not huge fans of the impact player rule as it firstly negates the role of an all-rounder in T20s, and secondly, it reduces the gap between bat and ball, given that the team play an extra batter of bowler, making it a 12 vs 12 contest.
Ten Doeschate, too, believes that the impact player rule has a significant role in such high-scoring fixtures.
"The impact player has had a big part in how the guys go about scoring. The game is almost unrecognisable from 10 years ago when you used to get past 160, you could pack your bag and feel that you'd win the game. Now you need 160 before the 13th over to get to a good score. There are the obvious things, go to the death earlier. Shut down one side. I feel we could have done that better tonight," ten Doeschate said.
"You almost want to bowl with anti-skills. Short and wide really works, drags guys wide and going straight, you need to catch guys off-guard like Sam Curran caught Phil Salt today. Set the off-side field, dragged him across and then fired one at leg stump.
"You have to come up with innovative ways. You have to keep changing, literally ball by ball. Don't think you can bowl two balls the same, I don't think you can bowl bowlers back to back anymore unless they really have a grip on the game. It's all in the batter's favour, the challenge for the bowlers to punch back is really there."
Despite getting a mammoth total on the board, ten Doeschate says there was no complacency within the team in the second innings, given how we have witnessed plenty of high scores in the tournament already.
"Ordinarily, I'd think there is [an advantage with the toss] but if you told us today that we'd get 262 tonight, you almost couldn't fathom a team chasing it down," ten Doeschate said.
"Same for us batting first, you got an extra batter in the shed, so the mindset has to be to go hard for the whole 20 overs unless there is a change in the situation. There is a lot of upside with the ball, it's about being brave and really going at the batters instead of sitting back and waiting to stop this stream of runs that's been coming in.
"I don't think there was complacency. The way batting is going across the competition, if anything there is an element of fear. There is a lot of upside with the ball. It is a new phenomenon with the way batters are batting, not taking a step back. Sunil was fantastic, other guys will be disappointed like we are with that performance. By and large they have been good, we need to find answers to stop batters taking the game away like they have across the competition."
KKR remain in second place in the IPL 2024 table with 10 points from eight games so far. They take on Delhi Capitals (DC) next on April 29 (Monday). PBKS, on the other hand, registered just their third win of the season and, as a result, lie eighth in the table. They face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their next game on May 1 (Wednesday) in Chennai.
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