Chepauk Super Gillies’ Thalaivar Sargunam and K Gopinath addressed the media after their team’s six-run win in their India Cements TN Premier League game against Dindigul Dragons at the NPR College Ground in Natham on Thursday.
Here is an excerpt from the transcript.
Thoughts on your form?
Thalaivan: I rely on my six-hitting ability which helps me despite playing out a few dot balls. In the last few matches, I tried to hit the ball too much, and if I correctly time the ball, I could improve. Also, I was working with Hemang (Badani) regarding the swing of the bat.
The mindset behind your partnership?
Thalaivan: Till the last game, we had planned to take singles, but we changed tactics and punished the loose deliveries in this contest. That is the way the mindset changed. Also, when we were not scoring well, we motivated ourselves to score big. Whatever we visualized came into the picture in this contest.
On the turning point of the game?
Thalaivan: Initially when we scored 140 and were striking the ball well, we thought 170 would be a par score. But after that when the lower-order went into the bat, and they couldn't time the ball well, it was a good sign for us. Later I felt 150 would be a par score.
Even (R) Ashwin's knock was a great one and that is the reason why they came this close to the target. In any T20 game, if a team's openers share a partnership of 140 runs – rest assured they will win!
On Sai Kishore's and Jagadeesan's altercation?
Thalaivan: Sai Kishore is always aggressive when he bowls and he is only 19. Let's not be harsh on him because he is young and he got pumped up. In the heat of moment, he couldn’t control his emotions.
Also, Jagadeesan reacted and that escalated the situation. He is a very nice guy, so let's underplay the incident as he will learn from this.
On Tamil Kumaran’s last over?
Thalaivan: It could have swung the game both the ways and we just wanted to be clear of what we were doing. Of course, the result wasn’t in our hands and we didn’t want to be under pressure. We just wanted to concentrate on the process.
On the team’s middle-order woes?
Gopinath: Look, everyone has chipped in with the bat right from game one. Sati (R Sathish) also has scored in the lower-order and Sasi (Sasidev) has also played well in a couple of games.
Everyone is good in touch. As we played 15 to 16 overs in this contest, the others had to go for it right from ball one. The situation was such that they had to go for the shots.
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