Ready for KXIP: Yusuf
Kings XI Punjab might well have regained shape by beating Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede after a loss to Rajasthan Royals, but Yusuf Pathan warned that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are armed with ammunition good enough to topple George Bailey's team.
KKR will go into Saturday's game against KXIP in Pune following a disappointing three-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore at home. Yusuf, however, feels that loss was just one bad day in office.
"If KXIP have (Glenn) Maxwell, David Miller and so on, we have Robin Uthappa, our captain Gautam Gambhir, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Andre Russell and then myself to counter them. I do agree it will be a difficult match, but we are ready to take them on.
"We are just focusing on playing good cricket. For the last three years, there's a good bit of positivity in our team. With the help of that, all we need is playing to our strengths," Yusuf told reporters at a city hotel on Monday.
Maxwell hasn't fired in KXIP's first two matches. So, he would obviously want to make Saturday's match against the defending champions count. Ask Yusuf about the Maxwell factor, he appears completely indifferent.
"We aren't thinking of any special tactics or strategy (against Maxwell). It's plain and simple. The team that plays better cricket will win," Yusuf said.
Bowlers aren't under any kind of pressure after failing to defend a 170-plus total the other night, Yusuf said. He also believes it's just a matter of time before Sunil Narine is back "That day, it was purely due to the individual capacity of one player that we lost. I repeat we didn't bowl badly.
"And if you talk of Narine not clicking, let me tell you it's not easy to pick him when we play him at the nets. It happens when things sometimes don't go your way.
"Narine is not at all under pressure. He hails from a region where people are open-minded and carefree. There's no place for pressure."
Meanwhile, young KC Cariappa believes he'll be a lot more confident bloke when he plays next for KKR.
"I was nervous, to be honest, during the two overs I bowled.
"But ever since dismissing a player of AB de Villiers' stature, I'm beginning to feel that things around me are changing. I feel a lot more confident," Cariappa said.
Narine, by the way, is Cariappa's idol.
KKR will go into Saturday's game against KXIP in Pune following a disappointing three-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore at home. Yusuf, however, feels that loss was just one bad day in office.
"If KXIP have (Glenn) Maxwell, David Miller and so on, we have Robin Uthappa, our captain Gautam Gambhir, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Andre Russell and then myself to counter them. I do agree it will be a difficult match, but we are ready to take them on.
"We are just focusing on playing good cricket. For the last three years, there's a good bit of positivity in our team. With the help of that, all we need is playing to our strengths," Yusuf told reporters at a city hotel on Monday.
Maxwell hasn't fired in KXIP's first two matches. So, he would obviously want to make Saturday's match against the defending champions count. Ask Yusuf about the Maxwell factor, he appears completely indifferent.
"We aren't thinking of any special tactics or strategy (against Maxwell). It's plain and simple. The team that plays better cricket will win," Yusuf said.
Bowlers aren't under any kind of pressure after failing to defend a 170-plus total the other night, Yusuf said. He also believes it's just a matter of time before Sunil Narine is back "That day, it was purely due to the individual capacity of one player that we lost. I repeat we didn't bowl badly.
"And if you talk of Narine not clicking, let me tell you it's not easy to pick him when we play him at the nets. It happens when things sometimes don't go your way.
"Narine is not at all under pressure. He hails from a region where people are open-minded and carefree. There's no place for pressure."
Meanwhile, young KC Cariappa believes he'll be a lot more confident bloke when he plays next for KKR.
"I was nervous, to be honest, during the two overs I bowled.
"But ever since dismissing a player of AB de Villiers' stature, I'm beginning to feel that things around me are changing. I feel a lot more confident," Cariappa said.
Narine, by the way, is Cariappa's idol.