After Chennai Super Kings hauled its semifinal bid back on course with a 24-run win over Mumbai Indians, Harbhajan Singh acknowledged that the complexion of the game changed after Sachin Tendulkar's retirement in the ninth over.
“If Sachin had stayed till the 15th over, things might have been very different,” he said.
Though Sachin returned at the fall of the seventh wicket, Mumbai's batting collapse meant that there was too much to do, even for Sachin.
Harbhajan, however, refused to blame the batsmen for their first collective failure in the tournament. “We have to give them a lot of encouragement for what they have done (so far in the tournament). They have done a tremendous job and have won us a lot of games. It is just this one match that they haven't clicked.”
Asked if the slow nature of the pitch surprised him, especially after the run-fest against Rajasthan Royals, Harbhajan said, “It looked quick on tv, but while batting it seemed slow. Keeping them to 165 was not a bad bowling effort, but we should have got there. Chennai bowled and fielded really well.”
Suresh Raina said that Chennai was slowly gathering momentum and that he was pleased with the intensity that the side displayed in the field.
“The bowlers did a great job, especially Ashwin, Jakati and Mirando. The total was not very defendable and we knew we had to do well in the fielding department.”
Chennai caught well in the outfield, and barring one near collision in the deep between M. Vijay and Thushara which almost let off Kieron Pollard, the fielding was solid.
“Overall if you enjoy it (fielding) you do well, and I thought we went out there and enjoyed ourselves,” summed up Raina.
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