Had To Convince Rishabh Pant To Trust Me At No 5, Says Rovman Powell

Rovman Powell smashed 67 runs in 35 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

After playing a match-winning knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL 2022 season, Delhi Capitals's hard-hitting batter Rovman Powell revealed that he tried to convince skipper Rishabh Pant about his ability to bat against spinners and request to send him back at No 5 in the batting order.

The 28-year old Powell had started this IPL season at No. 6, then batted twice at No. 5 in the middle, before being pushed down to No 6 again, and was even held back to No. 8 against Rajasthan Royals, in a game in which they were chasing 223 and fell short.

Infact, bowling all-rounders like Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur were sent in ahead of him.

Before the game against SRH on Thursday, the West Indian had scored just 135 runs in eight innings at 19.28. Since the right-hander had batted at various positions and was not having a great IPL season, Pant went to his room after their previous game and asked him where he wanted to bat to which Powell replied," Just trust me and let me bat at No 5."

Batting at No 5, Powell played an attacking knock (67 not out off 35) and stitched an unbeaten 122-run partnership with David Warner (92 not out), which helped Delhi Capitals defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 21 runs in Match 50 of the IPL 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium.

"Over the last year or so my ability to bat against spin has increased, I'm batting against spin a lot better and I can bat against pace already. I just told him [Pant] to trust me at No 5, give me a chance to start, to bat the first 15-20 balls, that's how I want to bat, and then (after) 20 balls I'll try to maximise," Powell told Star Sports.

Powell also mentioned that things were a little tough for him at the start of this IPL and he talked to his skipper about his disappointment to bat lower down the order.

"I came to the IPL knowing that I'm in good form, knowing that I've done a lot of work. At the start of the IPL, it was a little bit tough for me. I just keep believing in myself. I had a conversation with Rishabh, explaining to him that I was a little bit disappointed to bat at No 8 in that game," he said.

"But it is the nature of the game, whatever the situation you have been placed in, you have to do your best. Rishabh and the coach [Ricky Ponting], they came up with a conclusion and plan and let me bat a little bit earlier now," he added.

On the other hand, the 24-year old Pant said that he doesn't mind having one or two conversations with his teammates.

"I don't mind having one or two conversations here and there. In the start, he was not getting enough runs but we knew what he could give us, so we backed him and now he's coming out with flying colours," he said.