Chennai, April 29 As Punjab Kings get ready to take on Chennai Super Kings in a crucial clash of the Indian Premier League, their fast bowling coach James Hopes said his players will have to play at their best to keep alive their chances of making it to the playoffs.
Ahead of the face-off at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday, Hopes acknowledged the potential that lies ahead in the tournament, recent performances of the middle-order, and the rise of young Indian talent in the tournament.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Hopes underscored the team’s strategy as they prepare to face the Super Kings, who are currently at the bottom of the table. Highlighting how it will be wise to take one match at a time, the fast bowling coach believes that the team should not worry about long-term consequences before going onto the field.
"I think the biggest thing for us is we know what can happen in a few weeks if we play well in the next two or three weeks. But our focus has to be on the first ball of tomorrow night and getting through this game," Hopes stated.
He further added, “All teams in this competition are so dangerous that on their night, they can beat anyone. So it would be foolish of us to look too far ahead. We've just got to look at the game tomorrow night, play our best game of cricket tomorrow night, and then worry about what happens after that."
Hopes also addressed the concerns around the team’s middle order, which did not get enough opportunities to showcase their strength and skills in the tournament due to the top order’s powerful display on more than one occasion.
Reinforcing his belief in the middle order, Hopes said, “They are training very well, and I'm not going to say I wish the middle order would do more because that means our top order is not doing well. I think I'll take our top order doing what they're doing and trust that people like Nehal, Glenn, Josh, and Shashank will have their moments when required."
The fast bowling coach also reflected on the performances of Indian youngsters in the tournament, which included the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi hitting a century last night.
Lauding the young cricketing talent harboured by India, the former Australian cricketer said, “These kids in general, not just last night, they just play a different game. They come up against the Kohlis of the world, the Dhonis of the world, and there's just no fear anymore. I think Indian cricket is very well placed, especially in the shorter format of the game, to put a few teams that would compete with the top few teams in the world on the park right now.”
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