IPL: 5 Times when a batsman’s cautious approach cost his team the game

5. Steve Smith- 35 (39) against CSK (2013)

This match against CSK was a must-win game for the Pune franchise as their win could have stiffened the competition in the points table. By having the likes of Robin Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh at the top, the team had to chase a comfortable total of 165 set by CSK and with the pitch being batting friendly, at last, the Pune crowd anticipated a convincing win from their franchise.

However in reply, PWI quickly lost its first three wickets with only 29 runs on board, and with Yuvraj Singh’s departure at a score of 43, the team looked in big trouble. Steve Smith on the other hand, initially looked to steady the ship and as a result, the rookie only emphasized strike rotation rather than getting routine boundaries.

Steve Smith’s dull approach eventually brought a strain on other batters as PWI was in high need of acceleration to be in the game. With only three boundaries in his innings, Smith at the end was caught and bowled by Ravindra Jadeja, hardly taking his team total to 100. In the end, CSK won the match by a hefty margin of 37 runs but Steve Smith’s weak batting intent remained a high talking point.