IPL 2019 | Unaware of pitch at home but happy with team's win, says Shreyas Iyer
IPL
Shreyas Iyer has stated that Delhi Capitals are unaware about the pitch at home but was happy with the team’s win in another away game against Rajasthan Royals on Monday. DC have won only two out of the five home games whereas they have outplayed the opponents in five out of six away games.
Delhi Capitals have found the going tough in matches at their home ground - Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, evident with their record there. However, the six-wicket win against Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium sums up their season until now. Barring Mohali, they have sealed a victory against all the other home teams, even the likes of Mumbai Indians.
The wicket at Delhi is quite slow and the ball tends to stay low, contrary to the likes of batsmen like Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, among others, who like to play on the rise. Skipper Shreyas Iyer did not shy away from the fact that the side struggles in home games but was delighted with the away victories.
“We are unaware of how the wicket is going to play at Delhi and we are being outplayed at our home. We are happy with our team is going. The positivity is spreading in the camp. When we play away from home, wickets are so good luckily and it is perfect for our batters,” said Iyer, at the post-match presentation ceremony, reported PTI.
DC were set to chase the Royals’ target of 192 and they started exceedingly well as the opening duo of Dhawan and Shaw whacked 67 runs in seven overs. The 19-year-old played the anchor’s role by scoring a run a ball 17 until then but the southpaw had blazed to 54 off 27 deliveries before being dismissed in the eight over. The skipper was all praise for the 33-year-old.
“I was really happy the way we started. Shikhar is doing a great job in powerplay,” he expressed.
The pitch seemed to be a batsman’s paradise on the eve of the game and it even panned out as expected. Iyer had put RR to bat first and DC got a dream start as they dismissed Sanju Samson by a run out without him facing a ball. Nevertheless, Ajinkya Rahane was in sublime form as he blasted 82 off 47 balls until the 13th over and with support from Steve Smith, the Royals had already scored 135 by then. Smith got out for 50 off 32 in the very next delivery but it still seemed like they would score in excess of 200 with sufficient wickets in hand.
However, the Smith-led team squandered their start as DC made a comeback with quick wickets. Kudos to a quickfire 19 from Stuart Binny and Rahane’s 105, RR could manage 191. Iyer was ecstatic with efforts of the pacers Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris.
“We knew Royals are going to go all-out. Wicket was a belter and the way they started we thought they will score 200. Rahane batted brilliantly. Our bowlers contained well to restrict Royals,”
The young Rishabh Pant roared back to form as he played an unbeaten knock of 78 in just 36 deliveries and sealed the match for the Ricky Ponting-coached side. Even Prithvi Shaw held on to his wicket until the 17th over in his 42-run innings. Iyer and Dhawan also played match winning knocks against Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab respectively. The top four of DC have struck form after being inconsistent in the initial games and the skipper was quick to credit the coach Ponting for the same.
“Ricky tells us that batsman who get start should bat for a long time. Rishabh took that initiative and batted till the end. In the previous match, I was there till the end and Shikhar did it too in one match,” the 24-year-old signed off.
