Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting is looking forward to taking some rest after a hectic schedule of games in the last week. Ponting's Punjab will play next on April 26 at the Eden Gardens.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00No, not at all.
00:01I mean, they had to play the same games, right?
00:03So someone had to win, someone had to lose tonight.
00:06We just didn't bat well enough.
00:08That's the bottom line in this game.
00:10I think the wicket was a whole lot better than 157.
00:13You know, we had a lot of batsmen make starts,
00:15not go on and make those big scores.
00:17And that's, you know, crucial in T20 cricket,
00:20especially guys at the top of the order.
00:22And that's the difference.
00:23You know, Virat bats through tonight, sees his team home,
00:25and we weren't good enough to capitalise on a good start.
00:29I think at the end of the power play, we were one for 62,
00:32pretty much where you'd want the game to be.
00:34So straight away there, you're looking at a score at 180-plus,
00:37even pushing on to 200 if you're middle-order bat well.
00:40But we lost wickets in clumps again tonight,
00:43which is not the first time in the tournament.
00:45I thought their spinners bowled well,
00:46and their death bowling was exceptional at the end.
00:48You know, Boovey and Hazelwood, the four overs that they bowled at the end,
00:52you know, we were still looking at the second time out.
00:54We still thought we could get to near 180,
00:56but their death bowling was too good, and we struggled to 157.
00:59And, you know, unlike the last game here,
01:02where we dragged a win from nowhere,
01:05we weren't good enough to do that tonight.
01:07Ricky, one more thing.
01:08Your team has been struggling in the middle-order,
01:10especially in the last two games you did not click on
01:12in one of the previous games against CSK as well, and now here.
01:16So, Shreya, for example, is his batting form a concern for you?
01:21No, his form's not a concern.
01:22His form right through the tournament has been brilliant.
01:25You know, he's probably, what is he,
01:26in the top three or four run scorers in the IPL right now.
01:31He hasn't done as well as he would have liked at this venue.
01:33He said that to me when he got out today.
01:35He came and sat next to me, and he said,
01:36I don't know what it is about this ground.
01:38So, obviously, that was our last game here tonight,
01:41so we're away from that.
01:42Now, we've got a nice little break.
01:43We've got about a six-day break now,
01:46which, you know, on the back of, I think,
01:47three games in about five days.
01:50The boys need that little bit of a freshen-up time to get away,
01:53forget about this result,
01:54and make sure we focus on our next challenge,
01:56which is KKR down there,
01:59which we know will be a big game for us.
02:00Look, I think it was a consistent pitch today.
02:12You know, one thing we know about it,
02:14it doesn't offer a lot of pace,
02:16and it doesn't offer a lot of bounce,
02:17and we talk about that.
02:20And, to be honest, the four games we've played here,
02:23each wicket's been slightly different,
02:24so it just takes you a little bit of time to adjust.
02:28You know, that being said, when we batted first today,
02:30you know, at the end of the power play,
02:32I was pretty comfortable at one for 62,
02:34and we expected that the wicket would slow down a bit
02:37through the middle of the innings,
02:38but the fact that we just lost wickets consistently,
02:41we had a run out there as well, which never helps.
02:44So, a middle order, you know,
02:46the openers went pretty quickly together,
02:48and then Saras on the back of that,
02:50and that, you know, all the momentum is lost then,
02:53and then you need to put some partnerships back together
02:55to give yourself a good enough score.
02:57And, you know, we were a chance there
02:59after, I think, 16 overs.
03:01As I said, we were hoping to get around 180,
03:04which I think would have been a very good score,
03:05looking at that chase.
03:07It wasn't an easy chase.
03:08But we weren't good enough to do it,
03:10so more done to them.
03:11First and foremost, it's a beautiful place to play.
03:32We had, I think, a four- or five-day training camp up there
03:37right at the start of the tournament
03:38to get all our players up there to get some time on those wickets
03:41and get to understand the conditions up there
03:43rather than just doing all our preparation here.
03:48Look, normally there, it's a good wicket.
03:50It normally comes onto the bat nicely.
03:52There's normally a bit more pace and bounce
03:53than what you see out here,
03:55and I think that'll actually suit our team.
03:56You think a lot of our batsmen in our team
03:58probably like the ball coming onto the bat.
04:01We should get that in Durham-Shala.
04:03It's not a big ground, so what can we expect?
04:05I think we can expect pretty high-scoring games, to be honest.
04:08So, yeah, we obviously go to Calcutta first, then Chennai,
04:12and then the games up in Durham-Shala.
04:14We've got three games in a row there
04:16and then finish off in Jaipur.
04:18So, look, it's been a...
04:20We're past the halfway mark now.
04:23You know, we've got the five wins that we need to push on
04:25and make sure that we win a fair share of our games coming home.
04:30Last two questions.
04:31Can you talk about the disadvantages or advantages
04:34of having two different home venues?
04:39I might be able to tell you at the end of the tournament
04:41because if we go up there and win every game,
04:44I'll think it's great.
04:44If we go there and lose every game,
04:46then I won't like it much at all.
04:47But, look, it's not uncommon.
04:50There are other teams in the tournament that are doing it.
04:52You know, Delhi, obviously, had a couple in Vizag.
04:54Rajasthan play a couple away.
04:57It is what it is.
04:58It's a little bit different this year for us.
05:00Normally, it's been just the two games in Durham-Shala.
05:02This year, it's three.
05:03I think it gives us about 11 days in a row there.
05:06So, there shouldn't be any excuses from us.
05:08We've got to make sure that that is a home ground
05:10and a ground that we win games on.
05:12So, I'm looking forward to getting up there, actually.