IPL 2023: Gary Kirsten reveals why Gujarat Titans has been struggling to defend totals
IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans have had a mixed start to the event this season, winning three and losing a couple from five fixtures, while it has notably struggled to defend the targets, and Gary Kirsten has explained why.
FollowDefending champion Gujarat Titans (GT) has been struggling to defend totals this season, and the team's mentor Gary Kirsten has blamed it on an unsettled bowling line-up. In the five games played so far, GT won three, and the two defeats have come while defending totals.
"In the last IPL, we defended four and chased down six games. We haven't defended a total yet this year, but it is early days in the tournament. Last year we had a settled bowling line-up. This year due to injuries and guys we bank on in crucial overs, aren't necessarily ready to go," Kirsten said during a virtual press conference.
GT probably needs New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson, who it had traded to former two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). "Every team needs to adapt to different situations you are confronted with, and for us, it's an opportunity to look at that area and potentially reset and make sure we have the right guys to do the job," he added.
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The South African was in awe of Shubman Gill, who has provided good starts to GT. The young batter is the leading scorer for his team with 228 runs from five games, averaging nearly 46. "He [Gill] has developed more into a class player. One could see that with his run of form with the Indian team across formats. We always knew he was going to be a class player. The next level for Shubman is how he can take what he has got in his skills and how he can create real impact on a game," Kirsten said.
"He has done a great job for us at the top. He is on an upward curve of progress. He has good thinking and opinion about how he can have the success he is looking for. It's great to see him do well," he added. The two other players to have grabbed Kirsten's attention this season are all-rounder Vijay Shankar and veteran pacer Mohit Sharma.
"Time might not be on their side, but the experience is, which certainly helps a lot in IPL. Vijay battled a bit last season. He wanted to return and prove that he was a player to be reckoned with. He got himself into great physical condition, and his training and work ethic at the nets has been second to none," said Kirsten, the team's batting coach.
"For me, Mohit has been an inspiration. He was part of the last IPL essentially as a net bowler. For someone his age to do that is remarkable. He is an incredible professional who puts much time into his game. He has done well in the last two games," Kirsten continued.
In the three matches he has played so far, Shankar has scored 119 runs at an average of 59.50, while Mohit has picked up two wickets from as many games at an impressive economy rate of 4.16. Asked about Kane Williamson, who suffered a ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee in his first match for GT and was subsequently ruled out of the event, Kirsten said: "Kane Williamson's absence will be felt. He is a great player."
"He would have fitted well into our team environment and what we stand for as a group. He will be missed. He is an experienced player and would have played an important role for us as a leader and top-end batter," he attested. Kirsten feels Williamson's injury was a disguised blessing for a young player like Sai Sudharsan, who has scored 176 runs in five games.
"That said, it provides a great opportunity for someone else to fill that role, and Sai Sudharsan has done a great job so far. The fact that we retained him is a testament to the fact that he has massive potential. This year we wanted to go to the next step with him, which is to give him more game time. The set of skills he has is great. Mentally, he manages himself well," he said.
Kirsten played it safe when asked whether GT got any diktat from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on pacer Mohammed Shami's workload management. "Not that I know. I am not necessarily involved at that level," he said. When enquired about Shivam Mavi, who fetched ₹6 crore contract from GT in the IPL auction earlier this year, Kirsten said he would get his chance in the coming games.
"He [Mavi] is available for selection. He is working hard on his game in training. At any point, he can be picked. Selection is largely around the skills an individual has that suit the conditions and opposition you are playing against," he concluded. GT will play Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow on Saturday.
