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Atharva Taide credits ex-Aussie star Brad Haddin for IPL success with PBKS
Taide credited former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for having faith in him and preparing him for the situations the IPL would demand.
Young Vidarbha batter Atharva Taide enjoyed a breakout season in the IPL for the Punjab Kings, in which his performances over the second half of the season allowed him to nail down a place in the starting XI. A fluent left-handed batter with all the shots in the book, Taide blended in seamlessly with a batting lineup which consisted of firepower throughout.
At 23, Taide will be looking at 2024 as the year to have a statement IPL season, and potentially bring himself into the conversation for the national team down the line. He was certainly impressive in the IPL, scoring 186 runs in 7 innings at a strike rate of 144.19. Taide batted as high as 3 but mainly played the role of a finisher.
He credited former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for having faith in him and preparing him for the situations the IPL would demand. “Brad Haddin played a huge role in me getting a chance this season. He always backed me. He told me how I bat is perfect for PBKS, and everybody around me can play their shots. I have to be that one guy who can control & anchor the innings," Taide said while speaking with sports commentator Dr Yash Kashikar on his chat show Say Yash To Sports.
Punjab boasted of a powerful lineup, especially in the late middle order with Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan and Sam Curran, and Shikhar Dhawan at the top. The role Taide speaks of was perhaps the clearest in Punjab’s penultimate match against the Delhi Capitals. Openers Prabhsimran Singh and Shikhar Dhawan fell cheaply, and it was on Taide’s shoulders to reconstruct the innings and allow the power-hitters to chase down the huge target of 214 in Dharamsala. Taide scored 55 (42) before a tactical change was made to bring out the big hitters — a move which nearly worked, as Punjab scored 70 in the last 5 overs but just fell short of the target.
Taide continued: “He told me that when I start my innings in nets, I have to start as if I am starting in a game. That’s where you build your habits. Because in IPL you don’t get a lot of net sessions. There is a lot of travelling. So you play on different pitches. So one game you play in Delhi, and the next game you are playing in Dharamshala.”
“So two contrasting wickets, where the bounce and pace are different. You have to adapt in only one net session. So you have to bat in the nets as if you are batting in a match, and can’t go and bash everything. You have to challenge yourself as if you are batting in a game. That’s what I’ll keep with myself wherever I’ll go, whichever format I will play. Because that’s how I am going to get better as a player,” concluded Taide.
Taide’s highest score of the season was an innings of 66 (36) against LSG. His best innings came in losing causes while trying to track down huge targets but they also served to illustrate his ability to be a rock in the middle-order. It will be interesting to see the role the Punjab staff have in mind for the young batter since they have a great talent on their hands.
