Batting all-rounder Cooper Connolly stated that the Punjab Kings, who are undefeated thus far this season, have cultivated a healthy dressing-room atmosphere where players learn from one another and “enjoy taking little notes off each other.”
In the Punjab team’s 54-run victory over the Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday, Connolly scored 87 off 46 balls and shared 182 runs for the second wicket with opener Priyansh Arya (93 off 37 balls), setting up a mammoth 254/7.
“We all have discussions about what works for each other, and we take little things out of each other’s books. We’ve enjoyed sort of taking little notes off each other,” PTI quoted Connolly as saying about his side’s five-match winning run in the league so far.
“We’re all looking to try and get better, that’s what the game’s about, be the best team there is, and we’re looking forward to plenty more notes and messages from each other to get better as a group and a squad, and not my game.”
Connolly praised captain Shreyas Iyer for setting a good example for the team. With 11 points from six games, PBKS is presently leading the IPL rankings. They have only lost one point thus far—against KKR, when the game was abandoned due to rain.
“Yeah, he (Shreyas) just leads by example, he’s always making his group feel comfortable around him, and he’s always about just trying to get better and encouraging people and just making sure we do it with a smile on our face.”
Talking about his big partnership with Priyansh, the Australian said, “Priyansh and Prabhsimran sort of go about their sort of business the way they do, and Priyansh has done it over the last couple of years and been successful at it.
“I was at the other end just in awe a little bit there, because I couldn’t get off strike, but yeah, just enjoying watching him bat. I think the game doesn’t change too much when you’re batting first, you’re just trying to play good cricket shots, put the pressure on the bowing attack, and take advantage of the loose balls, and I think we did that tonight.”
On the dropped catches by his side, Connolly said, “Obviously, we would have liked to have taken those catches, but it’s cricket, people drop catches, they don’t try to drop catches, so we just look to move forward and put our best foot forward for the next game.”
Punjab Kings’ prospects of entering the playoffs have increased due to their impressive start to the IPL season.
