Ricky Ponting looking forward to rest after hectic stretch of 3 games

India Today

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.

Transcript

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.

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