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'What's the point of 200 strike rate?': Sehwag blasts Samson, Sangakkara for RR's Shimron Hetmyer blunder in IPL 2023
Sehwag said the story could well have been different if RR had sent in Shimron Hetmyer higher up the order instead of Riyan Parag and Devdutt Padikkal.
Former India opener Virender Sehwag was not pleased with Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson and coach Kumar Sangakkara for sending Shimron Hetmyer as low as No.7 in their 198-run chase against Punjab Kings in an IPL 2023 match in Guwahati on Wednesday. The decision to demote Hetmyer appeared to have cost RR as they fell short by five runs despite the West Indies international's brilliant cameo of 36 off 18 balls.
RR were 57/3 in 5.4 overs when Nathan Ellis got the big wicket of Jos Buttler. They were well on par with the asking rate. But instead of sending Hetmyer, RR decided to bat Devdutt Padikkal, who got stuck in the middle. The RR think tank actually had very little option left to bat Padikkal once they rejigged their opening combination. Their decision to open with Ashwin due to an injury to Buttler made little sense especially when they had an opener in Padikkal already in their XI.
RR captain Samson, lost momentum and was out a few overs later. To everyone's surprise, it was not Hetmyer at No.6, it was Riyan Parag. To be fair to the right-hander, he did his best to up the ante and scored 20 off 12 balls but Padikka's 21 off 26 balls took the game out of RR's reach.
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By the time Hetmyer came in to bat, the asking rate climbed to 13 runs an over. The hard-hitting left-hander hit some lusty blows and along with young Dhruv Jurel brought RR back in the chase but Sam Curran held his nerve in the last over to snatch a five-run win for PBKS.
Sehwag said the story could well have been different if Hetmyer was sent in earlier. The former India opener said Hetmyer did not get enough balls to bat and should have batted ahead of Parag and Padikkal.
"He didn't get enough balls to bat. What's the point of this 200 strike rate? If he had batted at No.4 or 5, came ahead of Riyan Parag or even before Padikkal, he is a lefty too, then he would have gotten more balls to bat. He bats at No.4 for the West Indies. He has scored a century in India, knows the conditions well enough. He contributed for RR last year. And even when he was a part of the Delhi Capitals' squad, he had a crucial role in taking them to the finals," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
He minced no words and said it was an error on Sangakkara and Samson's part.
"So, he should have been sent in a lot earlier. He is a very dangerous batter. Yes, he could have gotten out early but what's the guarantee that wouldn't get out early by batting down the order? But what if he got set by coming in the top four? He could have won you the game with an over to spare. I think RR captain Sanju Samson and coach Kumar Sangakkara have made an error here," he added.
