Ball was turning, hence attacking field for Dhoni: Rajpoot

Image
Press Trust of India Kolkata
Last Updated : May 15 2016 | 12:32 PM IST
Kolkata Knight Riders rookie pacer Ankit Rajpoot said it was a deliberate ploy from their captain Gautam Gambhir to employ five close-in fielders for rival skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the IPL match between two teams.
Dhoni was left stifled managing only 8 off 22 balls when rain stopped play.
"Ball was turning and spinners were getting a lot of help. So we thought of setting an attacking field against Mahibhai," said Rajpoot.
With Piyush Chawla (2/21) in the middle of a fine spell, Dhoni walked out with 74/4 in 10.3 overs as Gambhir renewed his spin strategy against the struggling Indian limited overs captain.
In a move that reminded one of their first leg match in Pune, Gambhir brought himself at silly point, added two slips, a short leg and a short cover as the move certainly worked as Dhoni failed to get the scoreboard ticking.
"We wanted to create pressure and get him out early to brighten our prospects. Left-handers have it easy, while Mahibhai being a right-hander we wanted to go for an attacking field."
Failing to break free against the spinners, Supergiants were 103/6 in 17.4 overs when rain halted play as the target was revised to 66 from nine overs on Duckworth-Lewis method.
The wicket was offering turn and keeping low but Rajpoot said it was still good for the batsmen who applied themselves.
"Wicket was very good for batting and bowling. I don't think it was bad for batting. The batsmen who applied themselves did well on this track.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 15 2016 | 12:32 PM IST

Next Story