Delhi Daredevils skipper Jean-Paul Duminy blamed poor batting and fielding as well as lack of intensity for his team’s 14-run loss to Rajasthan Royals In an IPL cricket match at the Brabourne Stadium here.
“I don’t think we bowled particularly well. Also, in the field we let ourselves down. It was not only about dropped catches but about our body language. The intensity wasn’t there,” said South African Duminy whose 56 for a lost cause was one of the few bright spots for Daredevils.
Ajinkya Rahane was dropped twice by the butter-fingered Delhi fielders and he made 91 not out in a century stand for the second wicket with Karun Nair, who was also dropped when in his 30s before making 61. There were quite a few mis-fields too.
Duminy said the squad’s penchant for hitting the highs in one game and then immediately the lows in the next, which has pegged it to 8 points after 9 games, has to be redressed. “That’s one thing we have to address. We seem to be blowing hot and cold. If we have to give us a chance to make the play-offs, we have to show some consistency. It’s one area we need to look at before (the game against) Mumbai (Indians at the Wankhede Stadium tomorrow).
“We have got five games to go. I still believe we have the resources and the team to go all the way. It’s just about us, how much we want us to do so. For me it’s about making sure that we switch on before going into the battle (against MI) head on,” he added.
“I don’t think 190 was a stiff target. I thought if we had stuck to our plans as a batting unit we could have done it. We fell short by 14 runs which seems quite close but was actually quite far in the context of game,” he explained about the failed run-chase against Royals who made 189 for 2.
Duminy said he was unable to pinpoint why the team lacked consistency. “I can’t pinpoint any reason for blowing hot and cold either. We have been really good or very average. We need to address it. Especially towards the back end of tournament, we need to hit that consistency, find that hunger. We represent Delhi and should give the badge the respect and honour it deserves,” he added.
He was non-committal about whether the under-performing Yuvraj Singh would be retained in the eleven for the game against MI. “It’s just 15 minutes now after the game and all options are open. At the end of the day he’s a match winner and I still believe he can come good and have to back him to do that,” was all he said.
