Rising Pune Supergiant coach Stephen Fleming said his side lost wickets at critical times, keeping Mumbai Indians in the game. He added that his team was a batsman short as Ben Stokes was not available.
“We were playing an extra bowler and we were a little mindful of that. The best way was a couple of partnerships to gain momentum. We saw Smith and (Ajinkya) Rahane come close to that. Steve came so close to winning it in the last over. It could have been a different story, but that is the nature of the game,” said Fleming.
“It was quite a tough wicket to score on. We knew their bowling attack was top-class. We lost wickets at key times. They just hung in and created enough pressure to get across the line. But, again, it was a great final, full of pressure, mistakes and great performances too. It was a grand finish to a good competition,” Fleming said.
Tough to bat
“Battingwise, it was always going to be a grind. There was no other way they could have approached the chase. If you lose three for 20, then it’s game on. It is always going to take a partnership to get close but we just could not get the one or two overs when we were close to putting the game away,” said Fleming.
Fleming said he was pleased with the contribution made by relatively low-profile players like Jaydev Unadkat and Manoj Tiwary. “I don't think we are the most skilled side in the IPL. What we have had is players stand up from nowhere. We take real pride in that,” he said.
“We have created an environment where some players have been able to excel. Jaydev has been extraordinary again, so has been Rahul Tripathi and Tiwary. Big stars have stepped up at key times as well. Ben Stokes was fantastic for us,” said the Pune coach.
“Steve was the captain this year and M.S. Dhoni has slotted into the role of a senior player very easily. He is a proud but humble man. We saw the interaction between the two and other leaders, Faf du Plessis as well. So, leadership was never going to be a weakness for us. It was a case for making sure all our leaders were contributing in the right areas,” said Fleming.
