RPS skipper Steve Smith says relaxed mindset has helped their cause

Steve Smith, the captain of the Rising Pune Supergiant, said that their sensational turnaround in this season of the IPL is because of their relaxed mindset. In the previous edition of the IPL, which was RPS’ first season in the extravagant T20 league, the side finished at 7th place, having won just 5 out of their 14 matches. However, with another 2 games to go in the ongoing tournament, the Rising Pune Supergiant can sniff a spot in the playoffs.

Smith’s boys didn’t have the best of starts this season, having won just one of their first four games. RPS though have come back strong with consistent performances to boost their chances of making the cut.

The Australian lauded his team’s efforts and particularly praised the youngsters’ contributions to the team’s success. During a talk show, the Supergiant skipper said, “I stayed relaxed throughout the first phase of the tournament. I have enjoyed a lot. Now, we are on a winning run and have the chance to finish in the top-two.”

“The best thing is that we are not dependent on one or two guys. The majority of our players have performed. The youngsters in our team have contributed in a big way. Tripathi (Rahul) has done very well with the bat, Jaydev (Unadkat) has bowled some very good spells,” Smith added.

Rahul Tripathi’s heroics in the tournament

Promoted to open by Pune, Rahul Tripathi has struck seven thirty-plus scores in this IPL so far, including a stellar 93 off 52 against the Kolkata Knight Riders – of which 78 runs came through boundaries. On the other hand, Jaydev Unadkat bowled a fabulous last over to take his side to victory against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. A hat-trick, a five-for, and the milestone of 100 T20 wickets – Unadkat hit three birds with the one final over of his.

Smith was asked about dealing with the pressure of leading the side, to which he replied, “I am still working on it. Being a captain is a difficult task. All the cameras are on you and you are being noticed. It’s not easy to perform with all the pressure.”

Smith praises the Indian youngsters

The Australian batsman was all praises for the way Indian cricketers have adapted themselves to quicker wickets. He was pleased to see Indians learning the art of batting on fast pitches, which have resulted in some match-winning performances from the likes of Tripathi, Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant.

“Indian players have changed over the years. They have young batters who face fast bowling really well. They have quality pacers as well,” he shared.

Ahead of next month’s Champions Trophy in England, Steve Smith said that the IPL is a good platform to prepare for the mega-event. He signed off by saying, “Good to play white ball cricket ahead of the Champions Trophy.”