Jennings looks for right response

Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bangalore coach Ray Jennings is eager for his side to guard against complacency after their loss to Delhi Daredevils.

Excerpts:

On complacency in the squad: Yeah, I think there is complacency. You know I think that ends up happening with the cramped fixtures that we have got. I mean, we are the only side that really has played with only one and a half day’s rest. By winning the other day, complacency sets in. We spoke about it for a long period of time today and just one indication that they got 13 twos to our one showed that there was definitely complacency.

On the run-chase going wrong: I think if you lose a couple of wickets like we did you are always going to struggle to come back. You know, every guy occupies two or three balls and then gets out, then you find that 9 or 10 balls are gone, the run-rate goes from 10 to 13 to 14 quite quickly, especially if you are chasing 180. So I think in all three departments we weren’t up to scratch. I don’t think they should’ve got 180. We gave them a start, we pulled it back and then they ran away from us again. Our fielding wasn’t up to scratch.

On Uthappa’s reverse sweep: Look Robin played [it] against Mumbai, he played the other night, he got away with it and everybody said what a good shot. As soon as the guy doesn’t get away with it, it’s a bad shot. I prefer Robin to cut that shot out. He has got to make a decision within himself. I think Robin is hitting the ball really sweetly and a mishit going straight will most probably be a six, whereas that reverse sweep - even if he does hit it in the middle - scares me as a coach and the side.

On the middle-order being rusty: Yeah, I think if a guy doesn’t get match practice, I think you might be right. But Virat (Kohli) is a good player. I mean, Virat, if you look at his runs to his balls…he was quick enough and he seemed in form, it didn’t seem that he wasn’t timing the ball. I just think there were too many wickets in a short period of time. Especially Rahul [Dravid’s]’s wicket in the one over with the run out, it just puts the side back an over or two, but the players have practiced hard and it’s only been a little bit of time, but I think we weren’t sharp enough.

On when the side lost momentum: We probably never had the momentum. I would think from the start they got 44 in three overs and then 64 in six. I never sensed that we really had control over the game. The wicket didn’t end up as planned, I would have preferred a quicker wicket. There wasn’t too much bounce in that wicket, we have used that three times. So I think that momentum in the first six overs, we didn’t have it, I don’t think we really pulled back the momentum at any stage of the game. Other than, maybe, four-five overs when we bowled. We then let them make 49 in the last four overs.

On the six-day break: Yeah I think we have been in each other’s faces. I am going to give this side three days off and just go home and sit and then we will have a practice match on the 28th-29th and leave on the 30th for Chennai. I think it’s needed.

On Kevin Pietersen joining the squad: Kevin will most probably come some time between the 28th and 29th.

On his team’s progress so far: I think if we would have won today everybody would have said ‘Well done coach’. I believe that one of the things that we have done well is that every guy has understood his role and the side is settled. It’s a happy side, they know what they have to do. And in the beginning of the tournament if you would have said take four wins out of six, I would have probably taken that. We started off really badly so for us to come back the way we did I am happy. But I think with the game moving from the 27th to the 25th to have a one and half-day break is definitely a negative factor with regard to a good result. But I am comfortable with the same combination. With the same combination the guys have played good cricket. It is impossible to drop [Dale] Steyn or Vinay Kumar or any particular player, as a matter of fact. From a batting point of view, we couldn’t really have had any other batsman other than Cameron White. And a bowling point of view [it is] Roelof van der Merwe versus Steyn. But Steyn’s been quiet aggressive and he has actually played quite an important role for the side. While I do understand you I would have found it difficult to actually find a place for either van der Merwe or [KP] Appanna.

On Manish Pandey getting starts: Manish is playing well, he is still a youngster, he is still learning. He is a good cricketer but he needs to improve on certain basics, which I will chat to him [about] in the next two or three days. But he is playing well, he is a very positive guy, who has a very reasonable game plan that he uses and he executes.

On World T20 selection: I think the players that I have got in the side, they are humble guys [with] their feet are on the ground. And I presume if a guy does get selected he will be happy and he will be energised. If a guy doesn’t, I think our side has started to become a fighting side, they are very happy as a fighting side and hopefully being selected or not selected should not make any difference.