Image Credit- AP
Tushar Deshpande’s three powerplay strikes damaged Sunrisers Hyderabad so severely in the wet circumstances that the big-hitting team was never able to bounce back against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday when they were chasing 213 runs. After finishing with career-best IPL statistics of 4 for 27, Deshpande told reporters that he intended to “dictate the terms” in the media following CSK’s 78-run victory.
Deshpande’s hits with the new ball were crucial because, going into the match, CSK had the fewest number of powerplay wickets in the IPL 2024—just nine—of any club. In the second over, he removed Anmolpreet Singh and Travis Head with full deliveries, and in the fourth over, he put Abhishek Sharma to the test with a short-ball dismissal.
“We had a specific plan that even if they hit us from a good ball we will try and focus on bowling that good ball again,” Deshpande said. “We won’t change according to them. As bowlers in this format, I need to dictate the terms to the batters. I tried to do that and it paid dividends today.”
“The only plan was to keep bowling and having patience against a batting line-up like SRH who are very aggressive in the powerplay. So that paid dividends for us,” he said. “I think bowling that length in the powerplay is very crucial. Even if the batsman is hitting, I always back myself to bowl that ball again. So I challenge the batsman to hit me again on that length. That’s my mindset always and it worked out today.”
Ruturaj Gaikwad, the captain of CSK and player of the match for his 98 in the first innings, noted that the side’s worries about their penetration in the first six overs were allayed by Deshpande’s powerplay wickets.
But according to Gaikwad, it was actually Ravindra Jadeja—who took 1 for 22 in four overs and gave up only one six—who had the “match-turning spell” when it came to handling the wet ball.
“That was one area where [in the last] two-three games we lost momentum, not getting enough wickets in the powerplay,” Gaikwad said. “Wickets in the powerplay with the impact player rule definitely puts pressure on the opposition. It is the only way you can put the opposition on the back foot. Yes [Deshpande] he bowled really well and he’s doing hard work throughout the season. Even last year and previous to that, he’s been doing well and his hard work is paying off.
“Special mention to Jaddu [Jadeja] as well. In these wet conditions, four overs for 20-25 [22] odd runs, for me that was the match-turning spell.”