Thaindian News

Chennai, Sep 26 (IANS) Perhaps, the law of averages caught up with Chennai Super Kings, who lost their first game after eight consecutive wins at home Saturday night when they went down to a depleted Mumbai Indians by three wickets in the Champions League T20 tournament, but it is a situation the the team is not unfamiliar with, according to their middle-order batsman Subramaniam Badrinath.

The Super Kings crashed to a shock defeat to the Mumbai Indians after being in a seemingly winning position and having dominated the game for 35 of the 40 overs.

“We have been in this situation before and we have got ourselves out of it, so it’s not something that’s new to us. I think we just have to play good cricket. It’s important to bowl well in the last leg.

“If we can restrict them in the Powerplay overs, it would be tough to get away our bowlers after that considering (the quality) of our attack,” opined Badrinath at a media interaction here Monday as he looked ahead to the game against Cape Cobras on Wednesday.

“Well, that is the nature of the game, especially in T20. We have obviously got over the defeat. It is 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 are a champion side.”

Looking back at the Saturday night game, Badrinath thought the bowlers erred a bit in keeping it short and allowing the rival batsmen to have a go, like Lasith Malinga did during his match-winnings innings.

“Actually, we haven’t discussed anything as yet. It is 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 and any team would back themselves to defend that,” he said.

On the nature of the Chepauk wicket that has come in for a lot of attention due its slow and at times two-paced surface, Badrinath admitted that the pitch has changed a bit since the square was re-laid.

“To be honest, the wickets are a bit different from what they were because the whole square has been re-laid. I think it has become a touch slower and lower,” he observed.

On his own role that moved him up and down the batting order, Badrinath said he had no qualms in batting in any position as per the team’s requirements.

“That has actually been my role since I started playing for Chennai. I have often switched roles and had discussions with coach Stephen Fleming on this.

“It is a tough role, sometimes you have to be prepared to play the new ball in the Powerplay and also in the slog overs. That’s the challenge I always look forward to as a player and try and do the best I can in every game,” he said.