IPL 2020 : “KL Rahul now has the luxury to choose in death overs,” Gambhir explains how KXIP’s fortunes changed
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Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami and Chris Jordan (left to right)
Kings XI Punjab have had a dream run in the second have half of the season, as they stromed into the top four with a five game winning stream. While many opined that it was the inclusion of Chris Gayle that changed their fortunes, Gautam Gambhir differs. Gambhir suggests that it is the side’s death bowling that has changed the course of the league for their side.
It’s a luxury to have so many bowling options: Gambhir
Punjab were the worst bowling side in the first half of IPL 2020 leaking runs at the the rate of 15 per over in last 4 overs. This was clearly reflected in their results as they won only one of the seven games. But the emergence of Chris Jordan and Arshdeep Singh as death bowlers have helped their cause a great deal. Gambhir points out that this gives skipper KL Rahul option at the death as he also has the services of Mohammed Shami at his disposal.
“The best thing is that KL Rahul now has three fast bowlers to whom he can give the ball to in the death overs – Mohammed Shami, Chris Jordan and Arshdeep Singh,” Gambhir said on ESPNCricinfo.
“If you look at the first seven games for KXIP, KL Rahul had to search whom to give the overs to in the death overs. Now he has three options. When any captain has three options in the death – it is a luxury,” he added
The cricketer turned politician lauds Arshdeep for the way he has handled himself in the crunch situations. His emergence as death bowler has been the find of the season for KXIP while Jordan’s improvement has been phenomenal over the course of the league. Jordan was struggling in the preliminary stages of the league but he got his act together slowly as the league progressed and is formidable in the death overs now.
“The credit for this I would like to give to Arshdeep Singh. Because Mohammed Shami and Chris Jordan are both international bowlers. But Arshdeep is a young, domestic cricketer and he has bowled well in the death overs. It has helped in changing the structure and compensation of the entire team since Arshdeep has been in the playing XI,” Gambhir pointed out.
KXIP entered the top 4 for the first time after their 8 wicket victory over KKR. It’s all about keeping the momentum going and winning their remaining two league games of the season as they look to make it to the next round of the competition.
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