Albert Tuti Patriots all-rounder speaks about pitch in Tirunelveli

JR Madanagopal (head coach) and all-rounder Akash Sumra of Albert Tuti Patriots addressed the media after their team’s eight-run loss in the India Cements TN Premier League against Karaikudi Kaalai at the India Cements Limited Cricket Ground at Sankarnagar, Tirunelveli, on Saturday. Here is an excerpt from the transcript.

Your strategy for the rest of the tournament?

Madan: In the last two games our batting hasn’t come along well. So we will make strategies based on the slow wickets we are going to face. We hope to deliver in the next game and it may be noted that these are still early days in the tournament. Only three games have finished and there is still lot of time. We hope to get a win in the next and wrest back momentum.

Was it a difficult pitch to bat on?

Akash: It was a slow pitch and we were only one hit away (from a win). It was not easy to hit sixes or fours which forced us to take ones and twos. It was slow but not difficult to bat on this wicket.

Your impressions on the wicket?

Madan: Stroke play was a little difficult throughout the game so we just wanted to have a closer look at the surface and see what the soil content is.  Also, the pitch was a little slow. People thought that this was a good batting wicket thanks to the fact that the last day-night game was a high-scoring one. The pitch was a different strip and there were notions that it will aide batting in this match. But then the side that played better won!

On success of the team’s left-arm spinners?

Madan: We have evolved strategies for every game and apart from our left arm spinners even others are having a good time. You could see how our skipper (Abhinav Mukund) was juggling them between the power-play and the middle overs. We bowled well but then could not muster that one hit needed to win in the end!  

Given that you have a game on Sunday, how tough is to bounce back after a loss?

Akash: It is tough to fight back after two losses but then we are not thinking of winning or losing. Our strategy will be the same and we will fight back and think positive.