SRH head coach admits difficulties in 'getting to grips' with IPL in first year on the job
AHMEDABAD: The exclusion of tearaway pacer Umran Malik from the under-performing Sunrisers Hyderabad playing XI raised eyebrows this season, with head coach Brian Lara stating that the "form" of a player is considered before he is included in the playing XI.
While Malik took 22 wickets from 14 matches last season, the Jammu and Kashmir pacer has grabbed five wickets from the seven matches he has played in.
SRH are out of reckoning for the playoffs following their 34-run defeat on Monday to defending champions Gujarat Titans. Asked about the reason behind not including Malik in the playing XI, Lara said, "I think we just need to look at the form of the player. We have great expectations from Umran. He's got Dale Steyn to work with. But we have to play each game to win. We have to put our best XI out on the field. So, I think it is strictly on the fact that the form of the player is something that we look at. We've got 25 players.
"Even (Kartik) Tyagi, he's also a special talent. He has only had one opportunity so far. So, I think I can't see anything wrong with the selection. I think we are not playing the cricket we are supposed to."
The Trinidadian said that T20 is a very tactical game which a lot of people underrate. "It's my first year (as head coach). (It was about) not getting to grips with the emotions of going through an IPL season, especially when we were back to travelling to different venues and finding out different surfaces. It's a meticulous task to get things right continuously.
And, the T20 version of the game is what I think a lot of people underrate. It's a very tactical game. In most of the Test matches, the game can meander along and bowlers can actually find an extra over or two.
"Back in my days, (Curtly) Ambrose could bowl 10 straight or (Glenn) McGrath could bowl 10 straight. But this (T20) is very tactical. You've got to know when to use your bowler. For me, it's a great appreciation of that aspect of the game. I hope for the players that (after) the mistakes we made this year, we will become much better."
