According to Jason Holder, the Gujarat Titans have managed to win games and be in the running for the IPL playoffs despite not yet playing their best cricket.
Holder, who took four wickets to win the match against a rampaging Punjab Kings, is pleased that teamwork more than individual skill has been the foundation of each victory.
“The beauty about how we’ve been playing is that, it’s not one individual performing every single day. There are different players stepping up on different days. So I think we still arguably haven’t played our best game yet but you know, the beauty about that is that we’re still getting the two points necessary each time we cross the line,” PTI quoted Holder as saying at the post-match press conference after GT beat PBKS by 5 wickets on Sunday.
Holder focused on scoring the two points rather than worrying about the net run-rate, even if a target of 164 was only chased with a ball to spare.
“Look, I think the first priority is always to win the game. If we find ourselves in a position where conditions are favourable that we could think about net run-rate. I think we’ll do that.
“But I think the first priority is to accumulate the two points every single time we play and build our momentum. We’re on a bit of a roll in terms of three back-to-back wins now. So it’s just a matter for us just to stay consistent. I think the run rate and these kind of things will take care of itself.”
Even though Holder has taken seven wickets in four games, he gave pacers Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada a lot of credit for regularly taking wickets during the Powerplay.
“Credit to both KG and Siraj. I think they’ve been outstanding this entire competition. You know, they’ve led the powerplay, I think, in this entire competition. And they’ve made it difficult for the opposition. You know, that speaks volumes for their class,” Holder was lavish in his praise.
He quickly pointed out that very few pace duos in the world would bowl three overs apiece during Powerplays.
“I mean, very rarely have I seen two bowlers, you know, bowling three overs back-to-back in a Powerplay. So it says a lot about their calibre and their quality. I think when they start, you know, they set the tone in terms of what length works on a particular wicket. And then, you know, it’s just a matter for all the other bowlers to follow.”
