NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton said his focus at the top of the order is on managing threats and making the most of the powerplay in afternoon games. MI, the five-time champions, are taking on Delhi Capitals in their first afternoon game of IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.
“I think sometimes that's the nice part about batting second is that the game kind of dictates it for you. India is always a different challenge, especially at night, the ball swings quite a lot, so you know those first 2-3 overs, you can get knocked over quite quickly if you don't have your wits about you.
“So it's trying to just manage the prime threats as an individual. Then when the time comes to transfer the pressure or you get a second sniff, you really just make sure that you drive that home. So today will be a different experience.
“Day game, expecting maybe a little bit less swing, maybe a little bit more turn. So it's just about trying to manage the conditions and maximize the powerplay to its best. Sometimes it's a bit easier to bat in the powerplay, sometimes a lot easier to bat outside of the powerplay. So just trying to manage both,” said Rickelton in a pre-game chat with the broadcasters.
On the fine line between intent and recklessness on batting in power-play, the left-handed batter, who hit 83 in the opening game against Kolkata Knight Riders, explained, “I shouldn't be allowed to answer this. I'm a South African, so it's all recklessness, in all honesty. Not giving yourself a chance and being reckless in terms of just going out for a hoick within your first couple of balls.
“I would define it as a bit reckless. The conditions always dictate the way you should play. The game situation also guides you in how you should play. If you're going away from what those things are telling you, then maybe I think it's a bit reckless.
Asked on how it has been to bat alongside Rohit Sharma, Rickelton said, “The beauty of this side is that we have so many unbelievable batters, foreign and local batters, lined up behind us. So if Ro and I manage to win the powerplay, it's almost like a bit of a free hit.
“But it is almost ... we face some balls, we get the pace of the wicket, the gist of it, and you can try and maximize within the middle phase, especially when your matchups come on. You can do that without the fear of getting out. If you obviously can put some pressure on the bowlers and get away, that really takes the team to a great position.
“But I think when you know you have such formidable strikers behind you, it almost gives you that license and that freedom to really try to take your matchup down. If you make a mistake in that phase, you're doing it for the right reasons. You're trying to get a hit for the team and you've got a hell of a lot of good experience behind you as well.”
Rickelton signed off by saying he used the break well to meet his fellow South African players in the IPL bandwagon. “Just the usual stuff on tour. Preparing for the next game, trying to get the body right. Managed to catch up last night with Stubbo (Stubbs) and Dave (Miller) and have a bit of a dinner. So, it's just been the usual stuff on tour.”