Chennai Super Kings batsman Subramaniam Badrinath shrugged off concerns over their upset defeat in the hands of Mumbai Indians in the Champions League T20 opener on Saturday.
Local boy Badrinath sought to allay concerns over the Yellow Brigade’s form, saying, “Well, that’s the nature of the game, especially T20. We’ve obviously gotten over it. It’s actually a different feeling to lose at home because we haven’t lost for quite a while. These things are bound to happen but we know we’re a champion side.
“I think we’ve been in this situation before and we’ve come out of it. So it’s not something that’s new to us. I think we just have to play good cricket,” Badrinath told reporters here.
Badrinath stressed on the importance to bowl well in the final few overs when the ball is changed and it’s again hard and new.
“It’s important to bowl well in the last leg. That’s when the new ball comes on well to the bat and if we can restrict them in the Powerplay overs, it would be tough to get our bowlers away after that, considering (the quality) of our attack.”
He added that the team had not gone back to the drawing board after their first home defeat in more than a season.
“Actually, we haven’t discussed anything as yet. It’s just that, I think we maybe bowled a fraction too short which gave them some leverage but we haven’t really got back to the drawing board as yet. I think the total we got in the last match was a pretty good one. Anywhere close to 160 - any team would back themselves to defend that,” he said.
The right hander also said the Chepauk wicket had slowed down.
“To be honest, the wickets are a bit different from what they were because the whole square has been relaid. I think it has become a touch slower and lower.”
Badrinath said he had no qualms over being shunted up or down the order.
“That’s actually been my role since I started playing for Chennai. I’ve often switched roles and had discussions with (CSK) coach Fleming on this. It is a tough role, sometimes you have to be prepared to play the new ball, in the Powerplay, in the slog overs, some times in the middle overs. That’s the challenge I always look forward to as a player and try an be the best I can in every game.”
On whether he thought CSK struggled to get runs during the middle overs, he said, “The nature of the wicket here in this tournament is such that it is tough to play in the middle overs because it’s slow, and bowlers use change of pace and the fielders are spread.”
