Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) leading wicket-taker Anshul Kamboj had an off day as he was hit for eight sixes, four each by Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran. Bowling short/hard lengths to Australia T20I captain Marsh did not work in CSK pacer’s favour as he was hit for four consecutive sixes in the powerplay overs. LSG took an early advantage in the run chase and then their net run rate (NRR) was affected as Pooran hit Kamboj for four consecutive sixes to finish the run chase in the 17th over. Reacting to Kamboj’s record-breaking expensive spell, former India head coach Ravi Shastri feels that the pacer should’ve focused at bowling yorkers after getting hit for sixes.
"After getting hit for four sixes, what should Anshul Kamboj have done? In my opinion, he should have thought more about bowling yorkers, targeting the stumps right in the blockhole,” Shastri said on JioHotstar.
"When you know Marsh was waiting for anything short of a length, either bowl yorkers at the stumps or, if you’re bowling bouncers, bowl them outside the off stump with a deep third man in place.
"Bend your back and bowl them closer to head height, not at chest or waist height, because that is bread and butter for someone, who has grown up playing in Perth. It becomes very easy for him to use the pace," the former India cricketer-turned-commentator added.
However, Shastri believes that Kamboj would have learnt his lesson after a forgettable display on a pace-friendly Lucknow pitch.
"If he hadn’t been hit for four sixes, he wouldn’t have learned from it. Everyone makes mistakes, but what you learn from them is the most important thing," said the 63-year-old.
Unwanted records but still a contender for purple cap
Kamboj ended up conceding 63 runs from 2.4 overs, the second-most expensive spell for CSK in IPL history. He became the first bowler in IPL history to conceded four consecutive sixes twice in an innings. Also, he conceded 28 runs in an over, most expensive for a CSK bowler. Still, he is CSK’s only purple cap contender with 19 wickets from 12 games.
He will be seen in action when CSK host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at home on May 18.