IPL 2024 runners-up SRH have slumped to last spot in the ongoing edition after their loss to Gujarat Titans on Monday.
The seven-wicket loss to GT marks their fourth consecutive loss. SRH head coach Daniel Vettori, however, believes that the five-day break before they take on Punjab Kings on April 12 will help in their redemption.
“It’s obviously disappointing. The team has high expectations and we haven’t put performances together so far,” said Vettori.
“I think everyone in the room understands that and it hasn’t really been close in the last four games. But obviously the challenge for us is moving forward because every IPL team at some stage goes through a run of losses and now we have a five-daybreak before we play Punjab who’s been exceptional so far in the tournament. We need to get ourselves up for that game.”
After losing their top-order early, Nitish Reddy (31), Heinrich Klassen (27), played crucial knocks to guide SRH to an under-par 152/8 in the 20 overs. That meant SRH were around 15-20 runs short, says Vettori.
“I think they saw that the wicket was really tough and the assessment coming back was 160-170 would be a good score, which is what we anticipated at the start of the day. So we knew that those guys, if they could get themselves in, build a partnership and then hopefully attack the back end. And we were pretty close to that in the end, we needed 20 more runs to put the pressure on and then obviously bowl really well. But I think their understanding of what was required was spot on.”
Vettori also admitted that SRH has not been at their best in the last four games and their fielding has been pretty dismal.
“It’s probably slow. This is glacial, maybe, in terms of starts. I don’t think Pat’s ever panicked in his life and I think I’m pretty similar. But we understand the ramifications of losing four in a row and how difficult it makes the season. And it’s tough because obviously you come into the season with high expectations after last year and then a very good start.
“We just haven’t been near our best in any of the last four games. And I think that’s all three disciplines. I think the barometer of most teams is how their fielding is going and we’ve been pretty poor in the field. So those will be the work-ons between now and the Punjab game. And we know that if we can get on a roll, then we’re still a very good team. We’re just not performing the way that we should be.”
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