Starc was recovering from a shoulder and elbow injury and joined the squad only a couple of days ago. He is now all set to play his first competitive cricket game since January. His presence will boost DC\u2019s bowling line-up, which hasn\u2019t been up to the mark so far.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe is available from tomorrow. Our best bowler will definitely play, but the final decision will be taken tomorrow. His coming back definitely helps. Fast bowlers who may have struggled in the powerplay will get more support,\u201d Patel said in the pre\u2011match press conference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He also underlined the importance of bowlers in the T20 format. \u201cI always say this: a match can be won by batters, but a tournament is won by bowlers. Because if you see, even yesterday, around 250 runs were scored. So obviously, if bowlers bowl well, you can win the tournament. Batters can win you a game, but if you don\u2019t bowl well, you cannot win a tournament. That is something I strongly believe in.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Reflecting on recent performances, including DC being bowled out for 75 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Patel quashed the notion that batters were nervous in facing Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who wreaked havoc in the Power-play.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cNo, we were not nervous. We were playing with a different approach. We wanted to score more runs, but the wicket was doing a bit. They bowled well and took good catches. It is not like if you lose one game, you become nervous in the next game. That is not cricket.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On the approach in must\u2011win situations for DC, Patel stressed commitment. \u201cIn do-or-die situations, the approach has to be 100 percent. Because you know that if you lose one or two games, you are out of the tournament. So as a unit, you have to give your 100 percent. Otherwise, it becomes very difficult to survive.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cOur approach will remain the same. We will give our 100 percent and focus on playing good cricket. Whether we bat first or bowl first, the idea is to control the game and minimise mistakes. We will play to win and not think too much about the result.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On the approach in must\u2011win situations for DC, Patel stressed commitment. \u201cIn do-or-die situations, the approach has to be 100 percent. Because you know that if you lose one or two games, you are out of the tournament. So as a unit, you have to give your 100 percent. Otherwise, it becomes very difficult to survive.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Patel signed off by ruling out sweeping changes in the playing eleven. \u201cThere won\u2019t be too many changes. We have experienced and performing players in the squad. Unless there is an injury, I don\u2019t think there will be many changes. It is not like you lose and then you start changing everything.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n