Delhi Capitals (DC) included four overseas batters in their playing eleven against Punjab Kings (PBKS). The top three overseas batters -- David Warner (29), Mitchell Marsh (20) and Shai Hope (33) -- got good starts but could not convert them into big scores whereas Tristan Stubbs registered a single-digit score. In the 18th over, DC lost seven wickets for 138. It was Abhishek Porel who came to bat at no.9 and with an unbeaten 10-ball 32 cameo took DC's score to a fighting 174/9. Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Robin Uthappa was unhappy with DC head coach Ricky Ponting for sending Porel so late.
“Why don’t you back the Indian players you have picked? I don’t understand why a franchise like DC doesn’t back Indian players. That’s my problem with DC, they never try out their Indian lads,” Uthappa said on Jio Cinema.
Porel’s technique impresses Uthappa
Uthappa was impressed with Porel's technique and wants him to bat in the top order. He predicted that the 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter could be successful if given a chance.
“Looking at Porel’s technique, I think he can be a huge success at the top order. But how will you know if you don’t try him out? Why not bat him at No.3 or 4? He came in as an Impact Player at No.9 and almost saved the franchise,” the 38-year-old said.
Real reason behind sending Porel late
However, Ponting in a video posted by the Delhi-based franchise revealed that Porel was not in the initial plans. It was Pant’s idea to send Porel as DC suffered a batting collapse. The move paid off as Porel smashed Harshal Patel for three fours and a couple of sixes in the final over.
“Without Abhishek at the end, we were heading towards 145 which on that wicket would have been a fair bit below par. At the end of the day, on a bit of tactical announcement, it was the skipper Rishabh's idea to send Abhishek in,” Ponting said in the dressing room after DC’s six-wicket loss.
Had DC not sent Porel in, they would have used a bowler as an impact player. In the end, they missed the services of an extra bowler after Ishant Sharma got injured and couldn’t bowl two overs.
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