Star batsman, Kevin Petersen of England will join Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 15 morning and will be available for selection for the final league game against Mumbai Indians on May 17 here at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.
Sunrisers is now placed third in the points table with 14 points having won four of the last five matches and has two tough, final games — Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 15 and the Mumbai game on Sunday next.
“Kevin Petersen will be joining us and he will be available to play the Mumbai game and also for the remainder of our campaign this season,” K. Shanmugam, CEO of Sunrisers Hyderabad, said.
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Tom Moody, Head coach of Sunrisers, was also delighted at the development.
“It is great news that KP will be joining us earlier than planned. To add a world class batsman to our squad at the business end of the tournament is a huge bonus, we look forward to welcoming him to our squad,” he said.
With two New Zealand cricketers — batsman Kane Williamson and left-arm fast bowler Trent Boult — not available for play-offs if Sunrisers qualify, Pieterson’s return is a welcome boost to the team’s chances.
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In an exclusive chat with The Hindu , Sunrisers’ mentor V.V.S. Laxman said the mood of the team was upbeat especially after some very close wins under pressure.
“This is the big difference now. For they give you so much of confidence and momentum. And, all we hope is to carry them into the next two crucial games against RCB and Mumbai Indians as we aim to qualify for the play-offs,” Laxman said.
“I don’t think there will be any pressure of playing the two big games at home. The crowd support should only spur on the players. It is always a great advantage to play in home conditions where we know the nature of the wickets so well,” he said.
On the remarkable turnaround of Sunrisers in the last few games, he said “I think it is a reflection of how well mentally the players are prepared for the big challenges as the IPL is inching towards the decisive phase.”
The Sunrisers cricketers’ engagements besides rigorous training under the watchful eyes of Tom Moody, bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan and Laxman himself, also include some promotional events with a social cause to break the monotony of only training.
“The one big thing we (support staff) always ensure is to keep the players completely relaxed without compromising on the training schedules. That way they can focus a lot,” Laxman said.