It has been a fairytale run for the Rising Pune Supergiant team. Seen as the poor cousin among the giants of the IPL, the newcomer finished just one off the bottom in its first season in IPL 9.
There was dramatic churning in the team with the owner stepping in and taking the bold call to displace Mahendra Singh Dhoni as captain and pick Steve Smith in his place. Both the stars, however, combined as an ideal leadership team splendidly to drive the team into the final.
Having made it to the last four with a big win in its last league game, the team had a shaky start against the fancied Mumbai Indians in the qualifier. The team’s batsmen, Ajinkya Rahane and Manoj Tiwary, chipped away after Smith had holed out, rebuilding the challenge and setting it up for the famous Dhoni finishing power. Despite Dhoni’s blazing brilliance in the end overs, the Puneiites had only a fighting total to defend.
It was in the defence of the total that Smith, ringing in the most inspired bowling changes and trusting his rookie spinner Washington Sundar to deliver in the Powerplay overs, shone the most.
His good rapport with Dhoni helped here. While Smith concentrated on shuffling the bowling attack, Dhoni chipped in by taking over the field placements, stationing the men in the deep with precision even as Smith proved predatory in the circles, clinging to stiff catches, as the batsmen, including the feared Kieron Pollard, flicked Sundar with the turn to the onside. Shardul Thakur shone in the end overs, choking the Mumbai chase with well-directed bowling.
The win was Pune’s third over feared Mumbai, a fantastic record for a new team in the league. Smith provided the initial firepower, steering his side to victory over Mumbai Indians in the first game, but then the team lost three consecutive games after that. Another great strategic shift came at that point. Pune changed the wheels of their bowling line-up, backing their young Indian brigade. Left arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat was picked from the fifth game and Pune’s purple patch started. He gave the Pune attack teeth even as South African leggie Imran Tahir was held back for later overs to give the attack greater balance.
Unadkat is currently the second highest wicket taker with 22 scalps in 11 games with a five-wicket haul including a hat-trick to his name. After an ordinary start, Thakur also picked up in confidence and was lethal in the crucial games. Youngster Sundar did the star turn against Mumbai Indians in the key qualifier. The contributions from the fringe Indian players, besides match winning performances from experienced internationals like Ben Stokes, Smith and Dhoni enabled Pune to rise.
Every team member stepped up when required to make it an all-round team and they didn’t miss their top wicket-taker Tahir after he returned to South Africa for national duty and even didn’t miss star all-rounder Stokes who wasn’t available for the playoffs. Thakur and Unadkat had never got such a long run in single season, Sundar and Tripathi were new to IPL while Tiwary missed last season due to injury.
All had a point to prove and they did it in style keeping the mind clear and not succumbing to pressure situations.
Sundar had to fill in the big shoes of Ashwin, but he didn’t succumb to the pressure. He took eight wickets in 10 games including 3/16 in qualifier 1.
“I just wanted to do what I am capable of. I knew what my strengths are and was clear in my mind what I have to do and how to execute plans. I had a belief and wanted to express myself. Before the IPL I had a good run in Vijay Hazare and Deodhar Trophy and was high on confidence,” Sundar said.
Rahul Tripathi has had a dream IPL, scoring 388 runs in 13 games at an average of 29.84 to overshadow his opening partner Rahane with highest score of 93. “It was a good opportunity for me. I am happy we are in the final and I have contributed in it,” he said. The experienced Tiwary was a vital cog in the wheel too. “My role was if a couple of wickets fell in powerplay, then I have to go in. If a partnership was built early, I had to go down the order, because Ben Stokes, Dhoni bhai were there. So, mentally I was prepared. Luckily everything came off. But (I am) pretty happy with the way I have contributed and just want to continue doing that in the final as well,” said Tiwary who made 317 in 14 games at an average of 35.22 said after the last game against Mumbai Indians.
