We have the best batting lineup: Kedar Jadhav

Bengaluru, April 16: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicketkeeper batsman, Kedar Jadhav on the eve of their second match in IPL 9 against the Delhi Daredevils (DD) said that their team is looking forward to the game after a convincing win over SRH in their opening match of the season.

“As an opponent I don’t actually focus on them, instead we look into our needs of what we have to do. We won the last game convincingly, so we are not worried about anything and are looking forward to another game,” said Jadhav.

The M Chinnaswami Stadium RCBs home ground has always been full of runs and the batsman feels that given the nature of the wicket, the bowlers should not be blamed for going for runs.

“As a team we have to score close to 180 or 200 runs every game in terms of winning the game. So, I don’t blame bowlers specially on this ground. It is completely a batting paradise and small boundary. So, as a batsman you have to put enough runs on the board to back our bowlers,” Jadhav said.

The 31-year-old right-hander said that he is under less pressure in RCB as compared to his stint with Delhi Daredevils as the new team has a line-up of batting heavyweights lead by Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, and AB de Villiers.

“They (DD) used to lose early wickets because we had inexperienced batting lineup, but here we have the best batting lineup. So I enjoy watching them bat and learn a lot from them, and when it comes to finishing role, yes that’s my job over the years and I do very well at it. So I am enjoying the RCB batting lineup,” Jadhav said.

Over the years, Chris Gayle has been a match winner for the Royal Challengers and once he gets going, no team has managed to overcome the storm and the team isn’t concerned with Gayle’s form after he got out early in the last game.

“I don’t see any worry. Last game you can see it was bad luck for him as the ball hit the stumps after hitting on his thigh pad. I don’t see any trouble in Gayle’s batting,” said Jadhav.

He agreed that DD leg-spinner Amit Mishra has been bowling well but he believes in play on the merit of the ball and not the bowler.

“It is not like that we have not played him before. From last seven-eight years he has been playing in IPL so everyone knows what his variations are. So we are obviously looking forward to tackle him very well and the way we know best,” said Jadhav.

Jadhav has no idea when right-arm leg-spinner Samuel Badree will be back but said his return will strengthen the team’s bowling department while he lauded spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for doing a great job.

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