IPL 2021: "Aggression in the first 10 overs is key" - SRH mentor VVS Laxman
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) mentor VVS Laxman reflected on the loss against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL 2021, suggesting that it was important for the team to manipulate the field.
The middle-order woes have been evident for David Warner's men thus far in the tournament. In the press conference after the game, VVS Laxman emphasized the importance of rotating the strike and keeping a low dot-ball percentage. In this regard, he said:
"That's a very important skill, especially on these kinds of wickets because it is not very easy to hit through the line for boundaries or sixes. It's very important to keep the dot ball percentage very low and the only way you can do that is by manipulating the field, by rotating the strike. I think that is one aspect of the game that is very important on these wickets."
VVS Laxman admitted that their batsmen weren't able to keep the scoreboard ticking against MI.
"Unfortunately, we were not able to do that, especially when Rahul Chahar was bowling and when the other fast bowlers were bowling in the middle overs, which is very critical if you have to put the pressure back on the bowlers or the fielding side," VVS Laxman added.
"Getting tougher to play as the ball gets old" - VVS Laxman
VVS Laxman also remarked that it hasn't been easy to play the old ball in Chennai. He mentioned that the wicket has been two-paced, making it challenging for the batters to play their natural game.
"As the ball gets old in the second half of the innings, it is getting tougher to play your natural game, to play the big shots because the ball is stopping on the wicket. It is also two-paced, attracting turn along with bounce."
He said that the team had discussed going hard in the powerplay and added that they'd continue to do so going forward.
"I think that is one of the aspects we definitely discussed and if you see the way Jonny Bairstow and David Warner capitalized on the powerplay...that will be very important going forward, especially when you are playing on slow tracks like what we see in Chennai."
VVS Laxman believes that the first 10 overs will be the key in Chenn, and he hopes that the SRH batters make the most of this period.
"To use the new ball, to use the powerplay restriction...so that we put the other batsmen who are coming in later under less pressure. It is very important that one set batsman plays through the innings because it is very difficult for a new comer to get used to the surface straightaway when the required rate is climbing up.
"So, I think the first 10 overs...the way you show your aggressive and positive intent will help the second half of the innings for the batsman."
The Sunrisers Hyderabad are languishing at the bottom of the points table after three consecutive losses. The team will play its next game against the Punjab Kings on April 21.