CHENNAI: At a time when the Indian Premier League season is nearing its business end, momentum seems to be the buzz word. Some teams, which dominated the first half, seem to be losing steam while the bottom rung teams are climbing up and spoiling the party for mid-table teams.
Punjab Kings, who still remain in top two, however, are not seeing it as a concern. Till a few days ago, they seemed invincible, winning six and a rain wash out in seven games. But the last three have not gone their way. Not just Rajasthan Royals, but also Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad have gotten the better of them.
However, the race is far from over. PBKS have played only ten unlike many teams that are at 11. And more than anything, the mood in the camp remains as positive as it ever was, according to Suryansh Shedge. The youngster, who came into the team in the second half of the season, feels skipper Shreyas Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting have kept the atmosphere light and positive. "Since the start, when Ricky sir came in and Shreyas bhaiya (brother) was appointed the captain last year, the focus has always been on keeping the atmosphere light and happy so that people feel at peace," Shedge said in a media interaction on Saturday. "They feel comfortable with the surroundings. I know it's easy to get carried away and start playing the blame game. But right now, we need to stick together as a team.
"That is what will help us. Preparation-wise, I think personal preparations will change. But as a team, we'll try to prepare in the same way. I think we won six matches with the same preparation. All these things can happen. I know there are a few areas we need to improve on. All those have been addressed," he added.
One such example is the chat Ponting had with him midway through the season when he was warming the bench. "The talks were always about how well I'm batting in the nets and how I can get an opportunity at any time. I remember after the fourth or fifth game, after the net session, he (Ponting) took me aside. He asked me if I'm frustrated. I said no at first. He said, be honest. So I said, 'yes, sir. At night, I do feel it sometimes'. He said, 'I can totally understand how you're feeling'. He said that four or five players from our franchise can walk into any other franchise and play in the playing XI. But right now, it's easy to get bogged down and start thinking negatively. It's harder to stay in the present and keep focussing on your preparation so that if and when you get a chance, you're turned on and you're ready to give it your all. I think that talk helped me a lot. It was a heart-to-heart talk. That's why I always say Ricky sir is one of the best coaches I have played under," explained the youngster who featured in the last three games and scored a fifty against Titans.
Shedge believes that the team understands that the momentum keeps shifting in a tournament like IPL. "It's a very long tournament. You can never count out any team. That's why we stress on being the best versions of ourselves and playing near to a perfect game. If we chase perfection, we are bound to do well and I think that is what Ricky Sir keeps on saying. Even though we have not played a perfect game till now, we have still managed to win six of them. I think that is a huge positive for us and I think it's just round the corner," he signed off.
