SRH batter Heinrich Klaasen says he isn't worried about his poor record against CSK, stating his risk-taking against their spinners hasn't paid off. Ahead of their April 18 clash, he noted Chennai is a tough place for batters to play.
Ahead of his side's massively anticipated derby against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen said that he is not worried about his poor record against Men in Yellow, and it's just that his risk-taking against their spinners has not paid off for him.
Klaasen's Struggle Against the 'Men in Yellow'
CSK will take on SRH on April 18 as a part of the competition's 'Rivalry Week', which will kickstart from April 12 onwards. However, the former South African batter has failed to fire against CSK, scoring just 61 runs across five innings at an average of 15.25 and a best score of just 20. His strike rate has also been sluggish, 96.82 against CSK. At Hyderabad, where the first of their two meeting this season will be held, Klaasen has scored 10* in his one inning. While at CSK's iconic home venue of Chepauk, he has managed just 44 runs in three innings.
'Risk-taking has not paid off'
Answering ANI's query at the 'JioStar Press Room' ahead of the 'Rivalry Week', Klaasen said that Chennai is not the easiest place to play cricket for batters. "Playing at Chennai is probably not the easiest place to play cricket, especially if you have, I call it normally the 'Jadeja wicket', where you can bowl at 100 kilometres an hour and the ball spin or just holds a little bit. Luckily, he is not there this season (traded to Rajasthan Royals), so it is a completely different team," he said.
Klaasen said that for him, it is about hitting the ball a little longer and clearing the boundary. "It is also about giving myself enough of an opportunity to make a bigger impact. It is sometimes a team that presents a lot of spinners, especially in the conditions that they play in, you have to take that risk and it has not paid off yet. So I am not too worried about it. It is just about for me finding form. And when I do get form, it is just to cherish it and make sure that I keep holding on it," he added.
Riding High on Current Form
Klaasen definitely has no reason to worry this season as he has started the campaign with 145 runs in the first three matches at an average of 48.33 and a strike rate of 147.95, including two fifties and a best score of 62. He is SRH's highest run-getter so far and overall third-highest. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)