Rishabh Pant’s tactical shift in bowling pays off in close IPL victory

After securing a narrow four-run victory over Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2024 clash at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi Capitals’ skipper Rishabh Pant discussed the strategic bowling changes that contributed to their win. During the post-match presentation, Pant explained the decision to allocate the crucial 19th over to Rasikh Salam instead of pace leader Anrich Nortje, who had struggled throughout the match.

“Nortje was having a tough time. T20 is a funny game, after 14-15 overs the ball was coming on nicely. So we wanted to trust Rasikh, always trust someone who is bowling well in a game. I think it is about instincts as a captain, it will come off sometimes. Happy it worked today,” Pant remarked.

Reflecting on the team’s challenging position at 43/3, Pant highlighted their aggressive approach against GT’s key spinners. He also expressed his personal joy and the significance of being back on the field post-injury.

“Surely at 43/3, we wanted to just keep going and target their main spinners. If we get something, we will take it on and keep rotating the strike. Every day that I am in the middle, I feel better. Every hour on the field matters, I love being on the field. I try to give it my 100 per cent and it takes some time sometimes. I think the first six in the match gave me confidence in a game. The more time I spend in the centre, the better I feel,” he added.

This victory underscores the strategic nuances of T20 cricket and highlights Pant’s evolving maturity as a captain.