Mumbai Indians’ leg-spinner Rahul Chahar said that when you get early wickets in the powerplay, the incoming bowlers don’t have pressure to get wickets or ensure a lean period getting dot balls, after his team’s win against Kings XI Punjab, on Thursday, 1 October.
“They have the freedom to bowl without any pressure, go for wickets, use their variations and those early wickets did exactly that for me. I didn’t have any pressure and I could bowl attacking lines from the start.”
Chahar came into bowl in the 7th over of the Kings XI innings when they were 41-2 in six overs. Chahar benefitted from those two early strikes by Jasprit Bumrah and Krunal Pandya as both the KXIP batsmen were looking to just rotate the strike for a few overs.
On his bowling plans, he said that there was a bit of help from the wicket and he was getting some turn.
“So initially my plan was to stop the run flow and pressure will mount and I will get wickets naturally and also in between, I was going for the wickets trying to flight the ball,” said Rahul Chahar on his spell of 2-26 in four overs.
On his preparation for this year’s IPL, Chahar said that they practised at an indoor training facility in Mumbai, which was made because of heavy rains in the city. “We practised hard there for at least two months and utilised that facility for our own good and the difference is showing as all the boys look in great touch.”
When asked about the immaculate finishing skills of Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya, the 21-year old said that the team trusts the skills of both of them and they have delivered time and again for MI. “If you see the last game against RCB, Pollard almost won the game for us from an unwinnable position. Both are in great form and the team trusts their hitting ability,” he added.
Mumbai Indians were reeling at one point, with the score of 87-3 in 14 overs, and owing to some extraordinary hitting from Rohit Sharma, Pollard and Hardik, MI scored 104 runs in their last six overs, with 62 of them coming in the last three overs.
Asked about Pollard’s promotion in the batting order ahead of Hardik, Chahar said that after the last game’s innings Pollard was in a great hitting nick and they needed his big-hitting when their score wasn’t that big.
Mumbai Indians next play the Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Sharjah on Sunday, 4 October.
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