Playing same opponents twice is difficult: Sharma

The way IPL scheduling is, there are a number of challenges that are thrown at different teams at various times.

Pune Warriors India, by this evening, would have played four games in eight days, and would be done with three of their eight opposition teams in a home and away format.u00a0That throws up not just physical challenges, but also some psychological ones, especially when a team faces the same opposition twice in the space of four days, as is the case for Pune Warriors India going into their game against Delhi Daredevils on today.

Rahul Sharma

“It is difficult. You would prefer to play a different team rather than playing the same team back-to-back,” Pune Warriors’ leg-spinner Rahul Sharma said. “It’s difficult to make strategies, as you have planned and executed them just a couple of days ago. You both have played each other two days back, and know the strengths and weaknesses of each other. So it’s a bit tough to strategise,” he added.

Bit of bad luck
However, for Delhi Daredevils, strategising is not just a challenge, but a necessity, having lost to Sourav Ganguly’s men at their home ground on Saturday. For a bowling attack that had the tournament’s leading wicket-taker Morne Morkel, conceding 192 runs on a slow-low track at Kotla was a disappointing performance. “It was a bit of bad luck, and bit of bad strategising,” Daredevils’ bowling coach Eric Simons said. “Jesse Ryder got a top edge six towards third-man, got inside edge fours at the start. But once he settled in, I think we could have bowled with a better strategy,” he added.

“T20 bowling is all about having your plans, and executing them. You need to know when to bowl at the stumps, and when to bowl wide off them.” Today, in an afternoon game on a new pitch that is not yet a batting beauty, bowling at stumps might be a good idea. Will Daredevils plan for it, and then execute it? One will have to wait and watch.

Ganguly’s wishlist
>> He wins the toss
>>u00a0u00a0Sehwag, KP, Mahela don’t fire
>>u00a0u00a0Ashok Dinda is fit
>>u00a0u00a0Ashish Nehra bowls better
>>u00a0u00a0Ryder, Smith in form

Sehwag’s wishlist
>>u00a0u00a0Mahela Jayawardene back in form
>>u00a0u00a0He gets off to a flier
>>u00a0u00a0Ashok Dinda is not fit
>>u00a0u00a0Early exit of Jesse Ryder
>>u00a0u00a0Morne Morkel in great form

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