Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan praised KKR captain Nitish Rana for their 21-run victory over RCB at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Despite the difficulty of defending totals at Chinnaswamy, Pathan commended Rana’s rotation of spinners, which prevented RCB from gaining momentum. In a post-game interview with Star Sports, Pathan highlighted Rana’s decision to introduce young Suyash Sharma during the powerplay and its effectiveness against Faf du Plessis. He said:
““Nitish Rana’s captaincy has to be commended. It was a smart move to bring in Suyash Sharma in the third over after being in the attack against his strike bowlers. Rana knew that RCB’s batsmen don’t have a good record against spin in the powerplay, and that’s why he brought in Suyash. He got success, and an impact player got out another impact player.”
Apart from Nitish Rana, Devon Conway also hails appreciation from experts
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden also joined the discussion and praised Devon Conway’s performance for CSK. Hayden believes that Conway has been outstanding in accelerating during the powerplay, allowing Ruturaj Gaikwad to settle in. He stated:
“Initially, I was worried about Devon Conway as he was taking some time in the powerplay while Ruturaj Gaikwad was playing the aggressor. But in the last few games, Conway has shifted the gears. At the start of the season, the opening partnership for CSK was going hot and cold, but now there is consistency. Good to see that Conway, being a senior player, taking the leadership role.”
CSK will take on Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, aiming to maintain their position at the top of the standings.