RCB's top six batsmen have to convert the starts: Albie Morkel

By B D Narayankar

Bangalore: Royal Challengers Bangalore allrounder Albie Morkel has said that at least one of their top six batsmen would need to score a big one in Friday's match if they are keen to get the better of indomitable Kings XI Punjab.
"Most of our batsmen got good starts. But we didn't convert. The best innings was of AB (de Villiers) who hit 89. And if you want to win T20 games, out of the top 5-6 batsmen, one has to go out and score a big one.
"30s and 40s can win you games on occasions. From our batting point of view, we are aiming that somebody should score a big one," Morkel told reporters on the eve of the match.

The team needs to win at least five out of the seven remaining games, and the South African allrounder said, "We have seven games to play and have to win five to qualify for semifinals. Certainly, our goal is to play well in the next seven games."

Morkel said RCB would try to take advantage of the home conditions and win three consecutive matches in Bangalore.
"It is a blessing in disguise to play three matches (in Bangalore). If you want to qualify, you have to win home matches. We will go out and try to win all three. We are proud of our record here," said Morkel.
"We are playing Punjab tomorrow. It is going to be a tough contest. They have a few dangerous batsmen. But we are taking things game by game. We haven't yet peaked. Hopefully, that happens tomorrow.
"We all know Virat Kohli is a feisty character and he will be up for it (to win five out of seven games). I think the team will respond very well. It is going to be a good contest. We are prepared like any other game. Hopefully, we recharge ourselves," he said.
Morkel said his team is a very competitive but the batting hasn't clicked as expected.
"We have been doing so many things right and were close to winning games. I think our batting unit probably has not done well as expected," he said.
Replying to a query, Morkel said quite a few niggles were
there, but nothing to worry.
     "There are few niggles. Those are not new injuries. They
have been carrying for a while now. They can play with it.
Just they have to manage it well. For tomorrow's game, I think
everyone is fit. The physio is working overtime. We would
entertain the people and 'Gaylestorm' is around," he said.
     On Mitchell Starc and Kieron Pollard's ugly on-field
spat, Morkel said "both players went wrong and from RCB's
point of view, we don't want this to be repeated".
     "It should not have happened," he said.
     Morkel also said that such incidents always happen in
Mumbai as the crowd gets behind the opposition teams.
     "It always happens when you play in Mumbai. The games I
played for Chennai, the matches in Mumbai were always heated.
The crowd gets behind them," he pointed out. 

Very pleased with Aaron and Chahal's performance: Yuvraj

B D Narayankar writes

Sharjah, April 27 (PTI) Senior batsman Yuvraj Singh today
said he was pleased with performances of both fast bowler
Varun Aaron and spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the IPL-7 so far.
     "I am mighty pleased with the way Varun Aaron has bowled
so far. As an Indian it is heart-warming to see a young Indian
bowler consistently hitting the 145 KPH mark and making the
ball rip and zip on the pitch," he said in his article posted
on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)'s official website.
     "I must add here that now bowling with a speed of 145 kph
is a humongous effort on his part. Trust me, for someone who
knows a thing or two about injuries, illnesses and recoveries,
coming out of all this and performing like this is not easy at
all," Yuvraj added.
     Varun has played three games and scalped six wickets, and
dazzled against Kolkata Knight Riders with three-wicket haul,
which included prized scalps of Jacques Kallis and Chris Lynn.
     Fast bowling is an extremely tough job and even tougher
it is to come out of the injury and getting your rhythm back,
Yuvraj said adding that it takes loads of hard work, patience
and persistence to achieve it.
     Praising Chahal's performance, Yuvraj said he is a young
talented spinner with few tricks up his sleeves and with time
he will become better and smarter.
     "Chahal is a young talented spinner with few tricks up
his sleeves. And at this age he knows how to mix them. With
time he will become better and smarter," he said.
     "To get a wicket on the first ball is a real confidence
booster. That's the beauty of this tournament. Youngsters get
a chance to perform at this level and some of them grab it
with both hands to leave a mark," he added.
     The 23-year-old leg-spinner from Haryana came to
limelight for his frugal economy rate of 5.08 in this season
where big scores are being chased down with ease. He has, so
far, bagged four wickets after conceding 61 runs in three
matches. 

Yuvraj hates batting under pressure, says mother

B D Narayankar writes

Sharjah, April 22 (PTI) Shabnam Singh, mother of Yuvraj

Singh, today said his son hates to bat under pressure and

relishes playing in a side which enjoys cricket and are

relaxed.

    "He is very happy to be picked up for RCB because cricket

is all about enjoying and that's what the Royal Challengers

Bangalore stand for. All the boys are really chilled out and

that's where he wants to be because Yuvi hates to bat under

pressure or anything," she said in an interview to RCB's

official website.

     Asked about her support to her son, Shabnam said,

"Whenever he is down and out, it is best to leave him alone

instead of pampering him. I try and make him realise that its

just the part of the game and he will come out of it. It is a

regular part of parent and child and every parent does that."

    "It is very important to support the child. I don't think

so I am different. Mothers are all about fussing over their

son and fathers are very harsh. Usually, they are," she added.

     Asked what challenges she faced from her son, Shabnam

said Yuvraj was thrown out of every school he attended and

most of the teachers expressed unhappiness over his

performance in studies.

     "I was called so many times to the school and they

(teachers) said your child is not doing well, but eventually

he decided that cricket was the one sport he wanted to play,"

she said.

World T20 final defeat still rankles Yuvraj

B D Narayankar reports

Bangalore, April 17 (PTI) Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh on Thursday said it was difficult to cope with the World Twenty20 final defeat against Sri Lanka but he was learning to take disappointments in his stride.

India had reached the summit clash of the tournament unbeaten but had failed to cap their brilliant campaign with a win.

“A match like the finals always left feelings of ‘so near yet so far’, but as sportsmen they need to overcome these emotions quickly and face next challenge,” he said in an interview published on the Royal Challenger Bangalore’s official website.

“As a team we played a fantastic tournament and displayed emphatic cricket all around. But in the finals thing didn’t go the way we planned and it’s not easy to overcome that disappointment,” he said.

Yuvraj said in his younger days, one of his coaches told him that sportsperson one should be able to handle both the success and the defeats alike.

“That’s what I want to do,” he said.

Yuvraj said he is thrilled to be a part of RCB and hoped it would a memorable season for the side. He said the most of the team-mates got a short but very refreshing break after the World T20 and they are ready for the next 50 days.

He added that the last few days have given the team ample time to be with each other and figure out combinations.

“We had some very useful practice sessions and that has given use fair idea about our strategies and game plans.”

The Punjab southpaw said the side boasts of a very good mix of experience and youth and positivity around the team is infectious and uplifting.

“This comes across as a group that is willing to back each other in good and bad times. It is an absolute privilege to share the dressing room with the likes of Chris Gayle, Muttiah Muralitharan, AB de Villiers, Daniel Vettori and Alan Donald,” Yuvraj said.

“It is equally pleasing to know that I would be bowling to Gayle in the nets only,” he added.

Yuvraj said the facilities and arrangements are top class and they expect full house in most of the games because this part of the world has loads of Indian and South Asians.

“I can imagine they won’t miss the chance to see this spectacle live. So I expect a full house in most of the games,” he said.