Yuvraj Singh ‘thinks’ Zaheer Khan will start against KXIP
Still non-committal about Zaheer Khan’s first season appearance for Delhi Daredevils, Yuvraj Singh has hinted at the left-arm pacer’s inclusion in the playing XI during the team’s last home encounter against Kings XI Punjab in New Delhi on Friday. (Full Coverage| Fixtures|Points Table)
Zaheer, who was bought by the GMR-owned unit for Rs 4 crore, hasn’t played a single game for DD due to a hamstring injury. Yuvraj though is positive about his former India teammate’s return to the IPL field after the left arm pacer played his last game for Mumbai Indians on May 3 last year.
“I don’t know about the team selection, but I think he is playing. You have to ask the coach (Gary Kirsten) and captain (Jean-Paul Duminy) about this but I think he is starting,” Yuvraj told mediapersons at the eve of their eight match of the cash-rich league.
DD have had an inconsistent run in the T20 league so far, winning just 3 of the 7 matches, but Yuvraj believes the Jean-Paul Duminy-led side has played good cricket.
“I think we won two games in a row, we lost one and then won a game and then lost another one. It’s not that we are losing games in a row. We are winning and losing. T20 is a very unpredictable format, anything can happen on a day. But the point is that we need to win few more games consistently to qualify for the last four.
“I am sure we have the guys to do that and we just need two-three special performances in the next four games. We have had good wins and lost a few bad games, so we just need to fight till the end and try and win some games,” said the left-hand batsman.
Coming at the back a decent domestic season for Punjab, Yuvraj, who has been the season’s costliest buy for 16 crores, hasn’t had the best of times with the bat, 124 runs in 7 matches. The southpaw though is not too worried.
“It’s not easy because at times in domestic level at times you don’t play the quality of international bowlers, so at times it’s hard to come in and adjust quickly. I am trying to give any excuses but T20 is a different form of domestic season, you hardly get time to get set and play your game. But that’s the nature of T20 cricket,” he said.
DD have the advantage of getting the better of Kings XI in their first game in Pune but Yuvraj is not complacent when taking on the bottom-placed team in the table.
“Kings XI haven’t had a very good season, we know that but at the end of the day they came and beat Rajasthan Royals, playing very good cricket. So as I said T20 cricket is very undpredictable. Five overs can take the game away from you and we just need to concentrate on the things that we are doing well and if we can bat, bowl and field well then I am sure we can win,” he said.
“I think when guys have been playing in a team for a longer time and have been winning then they are confident. CSK has played consistent cricket and they have the confidence that they can pull it off in a tough situation and I think they have shown it, so they say it” said the 33-year-old player.
Also giving away the ‘You We Can’ bands to the scribes before the team puts on the Lavender couloured jersey for tomorrow’s game as DD celebrate ‘Cancer Survivor Day’, Yuvraj thanked the media for their continuous support for his cancer foundation.
“Thank You all for supporting the cause and wearing the bands,” said the cancer survivor.
