IPL 2024 | "Pant's keeping and his captaincy is becoming very sharp": James Hopes

Delhi Capitals’s wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant successfully appeals against GT’s Rahul Tewatia at Ahmedabad on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

Delhi Capitals (DC) bowling coach, James Hopes, reckons that the Impact Player rule, introduced in the Indian Premier League last season, could soon be used in other leagues around the world too.

During the post-match media interaction after DC's thumping six-wicket win over Gujarat Titans (GT), Hopes said that teams go really hard due to the Impact Player rule. "The extra batter [impact sub] has the ability to do that [batsmen going hard]. We try to keep options open with it. Whether I think it's [impact sub rule] good or bad for the tournament, I am not going to say it here. We have to make it work, and I think it will start creeping into some of the tournaments around the world," he said.

‘Didn't expect an easy win'

On getting GT bowled out for 89 and then getting the victory target in the ninth over, the former Australia all-rounder said that they didn't expect the win to be that easy. "No, I don't think we expected that. Tonight's one of those nights. The boys started well with the ball, and if there was any close call, it went our way. If there was any bit of fortune, it went our way," he reasoned.

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James Hopes

"Sometimes you've [had] those nights. It was good to finish the game with the bat as well. Hopefully, that negates the 260 [272] we conceded to KKR [Kolkata Knight Riders] on the net run-rate," the Capitals bowling coach said.

DC play their next three games at home, with the first match on Saturday against the marauding Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). "We know with the next three games being in Delhi, we are running into the freight train next game - SRH. We have already started preparing for that. If we have a good week and a half, we are going to be right around the Top-4," the Queenslander hoped.

Hopes was all praise for DC skipper and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who accounted for two stumpings and two catches against GT. "Pant's 'keeping is very good. Everything about his game, his 'keeping, and his captaincy, is becoming very sharp. His batting has been very good from the start. He is leading really well."
It was a horrendous day that GT would like to forget. "Not a great game at all. It is just putting this behind us and making sure that we forget about it as quickly as possible," remarked GT's senior pro, David Miller.

No pressure on Gill: Miller

The South African veteran denied that captaincy was affecting Shubman Gill's performance. "I don't think so. He's already scored 250 runs in the tournament. It was just sticky tonight. He played a bit early, got caught at cover. On another day, he might have hit those for four. I think he is batting superbly and [there is] a lot more to come," he reiterated.