Failure to give Ravichandran Ashwin his full overseas quota was “probably a mistake,” Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting conceded after his side lost three wickets in IPL clash against Rajasthan Royals here.
Ashwin conceded just 14 points and no limit in his three overs after being brought in from the power play on Thursday night as DC defended a modest 148.
With two lefties – David Miller (62) and Rahul Tewatia (19) – in the middle, new skipper Rishabh Pant introduced Marcus Stoinis in the attack instead of continuing with Ashwin in 13th.
The Australian conceded 15 points including three to four, dropping RR from 58/5 to 73/5 to effectively change the momentum.
“It’s definitely something we’ll talk about when I get a chance to sit down with the team. He had played beautifully. Three overs, none for 14. He hadn’t even conceded a limit,” he said. Ponting said at the virtual press conference.
“He had a disappointing game in the first game, but he worked really hard the last few days to make sure he adjusted and got it right in this game.
“I thought he was playing beautifully tonight. Probably a mistake on our part, and something we’ll talk about later.”
The Royals needed 58 of the last five overs. Morris smashed four sixes in the last two passes on his quick 18-to-36 hit to bring the team home with two balls to spare.
“We probably gave him (Morris) a few extra balls, a few extra balls if you wanted to,” Ponting said.
“The length wasn’t quite where it needed to be. If you watch the replay of the game, if you played with a reasonable Yorker, he didn’t mark them.
“If it was the back a length, sort of, above the stump, he didn’t get them either, especially with the rhythm of the ball.”
Ponting said dew was a factor in the second inning as bowlers struggled to grab the ball.
“The other thing you need to consider is how wet and dewy the ball was in the second inning of the game,” Ponting said.
“It wasn’t easy for the bowlers to hold onto. You could see it at the end. There were a few full throws that the fast bowlers played with the ball slipping a bit out of their hand.
“It’s been an integral part of IPL cricket. We knew coming here that there would be a bit of dew in the second half of the game. And we didn’t adjust, and we didn’t perform as well as tonight. . “
The former Australian skipper said mistakes in the last four overs cost them the game.
“Until around the 13th mark of our bowling innings, the second innings of the game, everything was going according to plan. We made a few mistakes in the last four or five overs of the game.
“When you’re a little behind any team in the IPL, playing just a few bad balls or just a few of these here and there, that’s quite often the difference in the result. We haven’t done it right. The background tonight. “
Ponting has been impressed with the performance of stimulator Avesh Khan in the last two games.
“He’s been super impressive. Physically he’s lost a little bit of weight. He’s playing faster, his action is better, his line and his length, the variations have been excellent,” he said.
The 24-year-old has provided early breakthroughs, so far claiming five wickets in two games
“He grabbed his opportunities with both hands. Spending time with the Indian team before the IPL helped him. He was a real find for us.”
The Delhi Capitals face the Punjab Kings next Sunday in Mumbai.