James Hopes.
The Delhi Capitals will be looking to register their fifth consecutive win in the VIVO IPL 2021 season when they take on the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Tuesday. During a virtual conference on Monday, Delhi Capitals' Bowling Coach James Hopes expressed that he expects a good game against KKR since both sides are in good form at the moment.
"Kolkata Knight Riders' coach Brendon McCullum wanted his team to be more aggressive in the second half of the season and they are certainly playing the way their coach wants them to play. They are playing a very attacking style of cricket and they have match-winners throughout their line-up, guys that can turn a game around very quickly. So we'll set up our plans according to the conditions in Sharjah and we are just going to stick to our processes. KKR are in good form and we are in good form as well, so it should be a good game," said the Bowling Coach.
When asked about the increase in aggression by the Delhi Capitals bowlers in the second half of the IPL 2021 season, Hopes said, "Having Rabada and Nortje, who bowl at a speed of 150+ km/h, in our attack has really enabled us to be aggressive. The fast bowlers prepare well, plan well and they understand the conditions very well and they also look after themselves."
Hopes further added that he expects Delhi Capitals' off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to have a massive impact in the tournament going forward, "Ashwin bowled beautifully the other day against Rajasthan. He put a lot of energy on the ball and I expect him to play a big part as this tournament goes forward. He's a world-class bowler and I think he's going to have a big impact as this tournament goes forward."
While speaking about how the players are coping with the high temperatures in the UAE, Hopes said, "Good players always thrive in challenging conditions. They know it's hard and we challenge our guys to actually enjoy it and play with a smile on their faces. Yes, it's hot, but we have asked our players to embrace the heat. Great players don't get sidetracked by conditions."
