Delhi Daredevils all-rounder Irfan Pathan feels his team has enough wise-heads to tackle the complacency issue for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Irfan said Daredevils, who have consolidated their position on the top of the table with their four-match winning streak, were focussed on winning their maiden title.
Daredevils have staged a remarkable turnaround this season after finishing last in 2011 and are almost assured of being the first team to qualify for play-offs. Pathan said it was easy for players to drop their intensity level from here on but senior players like Virender Sehwag, Mahela Jayawardene, Kevin Pietersen and Ross Taylor were helping them stay grounded. While Sehwag and Englishman Pietersen are former captains of their national teams, Jayawardene and Taylor are current captains of Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
"It can easily happen but luckily we have a good group of guys who know how to approach each match. They have been very smart with their play," Pathan told reporters on the sidelines of a promotional event at the Fortis Hospital. Pathan also praised the work done by head coach Eric Simmons, who was earlier the fast bowling coach of the Indian team.
"Eric Simmons is keeping a check on us all the time. After the Chennai game, I remember he wanted us to learn from our mistakes even though we won comfortably. The support staff also has a huge role to play and they are making sure we think about the process of winning every match and not looking at winning the competition. We are very aware of how quickly things change in Twenty20," said Pathan, referring to their comprehensive win against the Chennai Super Kings April 10.
While Daredevils are on a roll, Pathan, who made comeback to international cricket in December after a gap of two years, has not performed up to the expectations. He has taken only six wickets from 10 games and has scored 93 runs at 23.25.
"It has been mixed a tournament for me. The batting has been good so far but bowling could be a lot better. I am able to maintain a decent economy rate though I would love to take more wickets in the rest of the tournament," said Irfan, who was once the mainstay of Indian bowling attack. Asked how difficult it will be to re-establish his place in the national team, Pathan said: "I know where I am going. It is hard to say whether I have cemented my place in the Indian team but I surely see good things happening for me."
