IPL 2020 | Rahul Tripathi is an example for youngsters working for their place, opines Kyle Mills
Following the win against CSK, Kyle Mills has opined that Rahul Tripathi has been working the house down to earn his place in the playing XI and is an example for youngsters. Mills also pointed out that KKR are using Pat Cummins as the strike-bowler with Andre Russell bowling at the death.
Going into the encounter against CSK, a lot of concerns surrounded the KKR camp regarding their tactics and batting order. A major concern for them was the batting form of Sunil Narine, who till the game against the Men in Yellow was used as an opener alongside Shubman Gill. However, with Rahul Tripathi’s form, the management were tempted to use the two Indian batsmen at the top while slotting in Narine as a pinch-hitter in a move that worked really well.
In particular, Tripathi emerged as a big positive for the franchise from their win against CSK, with the right-hander scoring a 51-ball 81, with eight boundaries and three sixes. However, Kyle Mills wasn’t a bit surprised with his performance, admitting that it was the result of the effort he put in the training camp. Mills also opined that the opener is an example for youngsters, who are working their place back in the team.
"Not just in the academy before arriving here in the UAE, the four weeks leading into the camp here, he was exceptional, he literally worked the house down, he has been an example for a youngster who is wanting to get into the side, he is an example to everyone really, he is reaping the rewards and to get 80 odd here was magical to see," said Mills in the post-match press conference.
While that move pushed Narine down to a No.4 spot, where he was sent to slog against the leg-spinners, Mills credited the all-rounder for his cameo which created the momentum for the lower-order batsmen.
"We used Sunil as a pinch-hitter against CSK, this has not quite worked for him at the top of the order, a change is good as a holiday they say, we moved Tripathi to the top and it paid off for him. Sunil came in at number four and he played a cameo, it gave us a little momentum at that time so I was delighted for him," Mills added.
In the bowling department, where the former Kiwi bowler has been working keenly, Pat Cummins, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell emerged as the top bowlers for the franchise. While some questioned their use of Cummins, Mills stated that the franchise is using Cummins as a pure strike bowler, with Russell operating in the death.
"We saw that in the previous few games, Cummins is a strike bowler, we are trying to be aggressive with the ball at the start of the innings, he got through his four overs, his last over was a wicket-taking over, we did not pick up a wicket but he bowled a pretty good over at that stage."
"That's how we have used Russell in this tournament so far with the ball in hand, its a real specialist skill as to how we like him to bowl at the end of the things. He has a few things to focus on, he does a lot of yorker practices as he is aware of what he needs to do for us, he is a handful for us at the end of the innings," he added.
KKR now will take on Kings XI Punjab in their next fixture on Saturday in an IPL double-header, with Chennai Super Kings taking on the Royal Challengers Bangalore.