Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) head coach Malolan Rangarajan felt the value of all-rounders was showcased when Nadine de Klerk produced an astonishing victory for them in the last over of the chase against Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium, here on Friday.
Rangarajan felt it was great to be on the winning side after a nail-biting encounter.
“The value of all-rounders came to the fore. My blood pressure, everything is okay. I’ve gotten used to this. I’ve been with RCB for six years. Very good to be on the winning side,” Rangarajan said.
The RCB head coach also revealed that al-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has been ruled out of action for two weeks of the ongoing league due to a hamstring injury.
“Pooja Vastrakar was not available for selection (against Mumbai Indians),”, the franchise’s head coach Malolan Rangarajan said after the team’s opening match here on Friday. Two weeks prior to her release from the CoE (Centre of Excellence), she unfortunately tweaked her hamstring. The information that we have is that she will be there for two weeks more.
“Earlier, she was there (at the CoE) for her shoulder, now she has a hamstring issue. It’s a week by week process. So let’s see where she is at.”
De Klerk’s superlative effort of 4/26 while bowling and then the incredible batting pyrotechnics in the last over that saw her finishing with 63 off 44 balls won her the Player-of-the-Match award.
Head coach Rangarajan was effusive in his praise of De Klerk applauding her for her plans and execution.
“Nadine was very clear with her plan, how she was going to approach the next 11 overs. That’s the first time I met her inside [at the strategic time out] was over (number) nine.
“She wanted to chase down upwards of eight (runs per over) in the last four and then there was a plan of how to approach the next two overs in blocks. Aru (Reddy) also did a very, very good job (with the bat, scoring 20 off 25 in a sixth-wicket partnership of 52 off 51),” he added.