We hope not to lose wickets in a bunch: Sathish

Gillies, having lost to the Kings in the league phase, would be keen to pay-back and book a berth in the final of the inaugural league.

Gillies skipper Rajagopal Sathish said the mood in the camp ahead of the big game is upbeat. “Every game is a big game for us. We have played good cricket towards the end of the league and hopefully we continue with the same momentum that we have till now,” he said ahead of a practice session at Chepauk on Friday.

Sathish created a flutter when he walked in with a bandaged right hand but dismissed fears of any injury. “No nothing, everyone is fit. I’m surely playing tomorrow. It is a sprain and I’m just protecting my hand with the plaster, it’s nothing serious,” the captain added.

A notable area of concern for the Chepauk Super Gillies was losing wickets in a heap and Sathish said it was time they addressed it and emphasised that the team is working on it. “We had a problem of losing three wickets in a bunch so that was an area of concern and we have worked on it. We have other plans and hopefully we stick to it,” he added.

Admitting that losing to Kovai Kings in the league phase was on the minds of the players, Sathish said the team is motivated to give the best. “We are definitely motivated as we lost to them and we’re pretty keen to play good cricket. We had the concern of losing wickets in bunches but we have a plan for them now. Hopefully we play good cricket and change the equation,” the skipper added.

Chepauk Super Gillies openers had been giving them an explosive start and the captain hoped the duo can continue their good form in the crunch match. “They (Thalaivan and Gopinath) are giving us a good start in this tournament and we want them to do that. All they have to do is play their natural game and hopefully they continue their same form in the next game,” Sathish said.

Sathish said using their highest wicket taker Antony Dhas sparingly and going with an almost unchanged playing XI is a part of their strategies. “We have a plan for him (Dhas) and we know he’s our main bowler. Since we have a strategy, we stick to it. Bobo (Ashwath) has done really well, so hopefully he should retain his place on Saturday,” the skipper said.

Talking about the coach, Sathish said Hemang Badani’s presence in the dugout makes a lot of difference. “If you see our team at the beginning of the tournament and now the influence is really great as we topped the table. He just talks to all the youngsters and tells them how to go about their game. He has a lot of experience having played for the country and he’s sharing everything with all of us, so it’s a great influence and we’re happy to have him,” Sathish added.