Suyash: 'Coaches have told me just one thing - I have to hit the stumps'

After playing an important role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) comprehensive win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 in New Chandigarh, Suyash Sharma said it was the clarity of plans that helped him.

Sent in, PBKS were 59 for 5 by the time Suyash came on to bowl, and his two wickets in his very first over ensured there was no revival. With his second ball, a googly, he bowled Shashank Singh, who tried to heave it on the leg side and missed.

That forced PBKS to bring in Musheer Khan as Impact Player. But Musheer, making his IPL debut, lasted just three balls as Suyash trapped him lbw with another googly. In the spinner's next over, Marcus Stoinis tried a slog sweep, only to be bowled. Once again, it was a googly. Suyash finished with 3 for 17 from three overs, his best IPL figures, as PBKS were all out for 101.

"The coaches have told me just one thing: I have to hit the stumps, it doesn't matter whether I bowl a googly, legbreak, or flipper," Suyash said after being named the Player of the Match. "So I try to finish as many balls as possible on the stumps.

"There was some help from the pitch. I think that's why my googly wasn't easy to pick."

RCB captain Rajat Patidar, too, spoke on similar lines. "The way Suyash chipped in, the way he bowled his line and length, that was incredible. As a captain, I'm pretty much clear about his bowling. He has to be, most of the time, on the stumps. That's his strength. And his wrong'un is very difficult to pick for batsmen.

"So I always give him clear ideas. I don't want to confuse him. And I'm okay if he gives some runs."