What’s the story?
Following his side’s thumping seven-wicket win over the Gujarat Lions at the Ferozshah Kotla on Thursday, team mentor and former India captain Rahul Dravid was surely a pleased man. And why would he not be?
His wards, in particular, Rishab Pant and Sanju Samson, stitched together a stand of 143 runs to help their side win the game and keep their chances of finishing in the final four alive.
Post the game, the 44-year-old was seen in a jovial mood, as he interviewed the two players in the middle, joking about his own abilities to hit the long ball and then praising their abilities to clear the rope.
“I am glad that when you were growing up, you learnt by watching me bat. I used to bat exactly like that. I am glad that they haven’t been watching too many videos of me batting, with 208 runs to win,” Dravid said in the video, released by IPLT20.com
In case you didn’t know...
Chasing 209 runs for a win, Pant and Samson put on 143 runs in 63 balls for the second wicket to knock the wind out of the Lions sail and help their side earn a thumping win and keep them in contention for making it through to the Playoffs.
The former fell agonisingly short of a century, falling to Basil Thampi for 97 while the latter, who has been enjoying a good run in this IPL, made a 31-ball 61 to lend substantial support at the other end.
The heart of the matter
Revealing the type of conversations that they had in the middle, Samson said that Pant told him to not miss out on the bad ball as and when it comes his way and added that the advice helped him execute his plans in the middle.
The left-hander, on his part, added that he was looking to see the ball and give it a whack if it was in the slot and true to his word, he did just during his stay in the middle on Thursday.
Extra Cover: IPL 2017: Cricketing World reacts to Rishab Pant's special innings
What’s next?
The Daredevils host the Mumbai Indians in yet another home game on Saturday night and Dravid will hope that his wards can put forth a similar performance in that game as well, against a side that has been formidable in the competition so far, having lost just two games.
Author’s Take
It’s great to see two things from the video.
1.The clarity in Pant’s thought, a trait very similar to another former India and Delhi batsman – Virender Sehwag, who also had the policy of seeing the bad ball and putting it in the place where it deserved to go.
2.Dravid’s humour is still well and truly intact and his ability to bring it out in such situations is really admirable.
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