Playing in heat can test mind
JUST SPORT Despite rivalry, no bad blood between IndiaAustralia players
their anchor, Ben Stokes their impact player and MS Dhoni their finisher. Steve is playing well at the top of the order; we will have to work out how to get him early. Steve’s exceptional. When he came into the team, some people criticised his technique etc., but he is the most difficult batsman to dismiss. He knows how to switch gears, he is able to accelerate and decelerate according to the situation, that’s the kind of quality player he is. Any series we play, there are going to be heated arguments, and it gets blown out of proportion in the media, at the end of the day you guys have a job, we have a job. We try and play 100%; we try and keep everything within the spirit of the game. Sometimes when people are playing in 40 degrees heat, it can test your mental state. The guys made a few mistakes, they shook hands after that and everything is fine. No. Everyone playing in the IPL will be fine. They are great friends from all around the world. The games will be played in the right spirit and we will have laughs together. When you are playing with players from different countries and they try and work you out, they know how you play and think, and when you play for your country you can’t pin them; it makes the game even more challenging for you.
RCB’s batting is diminished as skipper Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and KL Rahul are injured. Daredevils, who ended sixth in 2016, will miss South Africa’s de Kock and JP Duminy.
Nair, 25, was the second highest-scorer for Daredevils last season (357). In December, he touched great heights when he hit 303* in the final Test against England in Chennai, emulating Gary Sobers and Bob Simpson by converting his maiden ton into a triple.
But the pressure to live up to expectations showed as he made 54 runs in four innings against Australia.
Did the triple ton play on his “Silence envelops Kotla yet again”. Who knew Harsha Bhogle’s comment in IPL 2014 on the fall of a Delhi Daredevils wicket will still hold relevance to the Delhi franchise.
Delhi Daredevils is one of the three original teams that are yet to win the IPL title, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab being the other two. Over the past nine editions, DD has lost the most number of games in the cash rich league (74).