Pollard's 360-degree range

For a long time since his IPL debut in 2010, it had been hard to fathom Mumbai Indians' reluctance to bat Kieron Pollard up the order. In the final that season, he was held back even at the fall of the fifth wicket, with Mumbai needing 69 off 31 balls. He has batted 40-plus deliveries in an IPL innings just twice - one of those instances was in a match-winning effort against Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier this season. But, over the years, while he hasn't featured in the top three, there has been a conscious decision to give him some time to settle in.

On Saturday, the openers had put on 79 in just 8.4 overs. A strong start coupled with hint of dew and short side boundaries at the Feroz Shah Kotla meant the stage was perfectly set for Pollard. Daredevils were trying to squeeze out Amit Mishra's overs before the slog overs. He had taken a wicket and conceded just seven off his first two overs. But Pollard's tactic of trying to take the attack to him was evident immediately. He smashed two sixes off the first three balls he faced off Mishra. He thumped two more sixes off Mishra during the course of an unbeaten 35-ball 63 that left Daredevils having to chase down 200-plus for the second time in a row, a result that seemed far-fetched against an in-form Mumbai attack. Daredevils' collapse was so rapid that Pollard wasn't even needed with the ball.

He'd belted the ball twice into the top tier. The confidence and brutality of his batting forcing Zaheer Khan to bring himself back for a final over, the 15th of the innings. His first three overs - a mix of cutters, knuckleball and gentle inswing on a slow surface - had gone for just 20. The question was if Pollard would try and see out the over. Two balls were what it took for him to bring out the adventurous streak in him. He walked out of the crease - three big strides - got outside the line of the length ball angling in. He tried to scoop it from outside off over short fine but the ball deviated minutely off the pitch. In a split-second, he opened the face of the bat and looped it wide of Rishabh Pant. Short third man had no chance.

"Can you imagine Pollard playing the Dilscoop? Showing his R-A-N-G-E, range."
Sanjay Manjrekar making sure there is no room for misinterpretation while describing a Pollard shot.

"From the Kieron Pollard ramp or Mohit Sharma knuckle ball the IPL continues to be the centre of skill advancement and the future of cricket."
Trent Woodhill , Royal Challengers Bangalore's batting coach on Twitter