If you look closely at all the tactical mistakes that PBKS have done in the last two seasons, you'll know that the root cause is that the think tank doesn't realise/accept that T20 is fickle format where you can do most things right but still lose due to freak things. (1/n)
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First game last season, they lost to DC in a super over while playing a perfect team, but the result of that was that they dropped their best death bowler in Jordan for the next match and played Neesham at 7, who didn't add much to their bowling or batting. Not only that, (2/n)
it also meant Rahul was anchoring and Cottrell, who was a new ball bowler, was bowling at the death, which resulted in loss to RR at Sharjah. Next game, they drop another bowler to strengthen the batting and go in Maxwell, Neesham & Gowtham to bowl 8 overs against MI. A line up
against which Jordan should have come back. Result of it is Gowtham & Neesham bowling at death to a rampant Hardik & Pollard and both of them together concede 97 runs in 8 overs. Against CSK in the next game, they bring back Jordan but he bowls his first over inside PP, his (4/n)
weakest phase and that too the 6th over where batters are looking to maximise. Result, Sarfaraz is dropped after 3 inns, never to play till date again. And Mujeeb comes in the team who's batting NUMBER 7. They lose vs SRH and retain the same team vs KKR in the next match which(5)
they lose by 2 runs in a chase where they promote Prabhsimran ahead of Maxwell. Meanwhile, Rahul continues anchoring despite having a negative impact in at least 3 games. At halfway stage, Punjab have lost 6 and have no clue about their best XI and have already played 16 players.
And these 16 players don't include Gayle. They bring in Gayle & Hooda and strengthen the batting, and somehow they are batting second in next 4/5 games which they win. Also, the trio of Mash-Bishnoi-Arshdeep start turning up. Now they have won 6 and need 2 to reach play offs.(7)
All this while they have an opener who isn't maximising PP and a bowling line up which is experienced on paper. In the next 2 games, they have to bat first, Rahul scores 46(41) in a score of 185 and bowling falls apart as well. In the next match as well, Rahul plays a 29(27) and
the batting doesn't do much and PBKS crash out. These number of changes show how much the think tank has been result oriented & not process oriented which is so important in any format of cricket. The think tank has never had the foresight to make changes depending upon condition
They have been almost always been reactionary and never looked to maximise their resources. Rahul did win the orange cap, but it came at a huge cost. It was the lowest SR for any orange cap winner in 13 seasons of IPL. Why I didn't take this season to explain these issues?
To showcase the pattern has been existing for a season and nothing has changed. Punjab might win today vs KKR, but Rahul opening and batting like this isn't going to solve anything. If he wants to anchor, he should move to middle order.
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