B D Narayankar reports
Bangalore, May 3 (PTI) Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody is hopeful that it's just a matter of time before we get a big knock from skipper Shikhar Dhawan.
"That big knock is just round the corner. He has got close on a couple of occasions where he has got good starts and he just has not capitalised on those good starts," he told reporters on the eve of the IPL match tomorrow.
Dhawan, along with a number of big Indian players, have not quite hit their straps, Moody added.
About local lad KL Rahul, Moody said he is an exciting young prospect.
"There is a reason that we have given him an opportunity at the top of the order and that's because we back him. We think he is a good enough player to bat No 3 or No 4. And he has shown throughout from the start of the tournament," he said.
Replying to a query, Moody said they wouldn't ask Aaron Finch and David Warner to open.
"We are pretty comfortable with the batting order as it stands, whether Warner goes No 3 or No 4," he said.
"Moving too many parts around in that top order creates uncertainty and also creates that inconsistency ... We also feel David (Warner) is probably more of an adaptable player, he has shown that, to bat at No 3 or No 4," Moody said.
Shikhar is at his very best at the top of the order and Finch is one of the in-form openers of the competition and want him to continue, Moody said.
Asked why big names have not performed, Moody said the conditions were tough in UAE - the wickets were slow. "I think the conditions were pretty tough, to be honest with you. The wickets were quite slow, so it restricted those free-flowing batsmen to particularly in those early overs to really capitalise," he said.
Moody said Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith standout
opening pair in the tournament so far.
"Smith and McCullum ... They really have been the only
standout opening pair that have been able to grab the
tournament by the scruff of the neck in the first six overs,"
he said.
The team is sitting sort of mid-range in the table
knowing that they have got everything to play for along with
many other teams, Modi said.
There are only two teams - CSK and KXIP - that have
played to their potential and that’s reflected in the table.
"There’s only two teams that have really played to their
potential and that’s reflected in the table," he said.
Moody said there are big names in all eight franchises,
and to single out Hyderabad for not performing is incorrect
because they were on par with RCB points-wise.
"I think there are big names in all eight franchises, so
to single us out is I think incorrect because the team we are
playing tomorrow have got equal names and I think that is the
beauty of the IPL this year and it is the beauty of the way
the auction was run this year with regard to challenging
franchises to pick strategically," he added.
Asked about challenges on returning to India after
playing in UAE under different conditions, Moody said he did
not see it as such, instead he saw an opportunity for players
to show their skills and adapt.
"I don't see it as a challenge. I think that it is more
of an opportunity for players to show their skills and adapt
and that’s what T20 cricket is about," he said.
"What I will be asking our players is to adapt quickly to
what might well be a slightly quicker wicket here and maybe
conditions where the ball will swing around a little bit where
we didn't have those conditions in the UAE," he said.
Moody also said it takes a couple of days just to get
adjusted with the travel workload.
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