Back on track with two successive wins after a poor start to the ninth season of Indian Premier League, Delhi Daredevils have the momentum on their side going into the match against defending champions Mumbai Indians on Saturday, said middle-order batsman Karun Nair.
After the loss to Kolkata Knight Riders by nine wickets in their tournament opener, the Daredevils bounced back strongly riding on their batting to comfortably beat Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore in their next two games.
The Daredevils are presently third in the league standings with four points from three games. Asked about Saturday's game, Nair said: "I think we have momentum on our side.
"Mumbai Indians are a good side, they are the defending champions. So whichever team plays well on the day will win the game. We are just concentrating on our process. We will give our best on the ground."
'I have been lucky to be mentored by Dravid'
Chasing a target has been the preferred choice of most teams in the ongoing IPL and Nair feels all the sides have worked on this aspect over the years.
"The teams have become smart over the years. They come out with certain strategies. They know how to chase and when to go after which bowler. The teams are chasing really well. In the past years chasing has been a problem for every team but every team has really worked on that aspect," the batsman from Karnataka said.
Nair feels having a young and vibrant side under Rahul Dravid's mentorship has been a blessing in disguise for the Daredevils this time around.
"The good thing is that all of us are young and we want to improve everyday. Everyone is looking forward to their opportunities. All of us are hungry to do well for the team. The intensity on the field is also very high," he said.
"I have been lucky to be mentored by him (Dravid) for the last few years. For any youngster to have him in the team is an inspiration. We are just trying to make the most of him being there and get as much out of him as possible," Nair said about Dravid.
'My form has been good throughout'
Nair said the level between domestic cricket and IPL is vast and as batsman he just wants to make the most of the opportunities.
"I think there is a lot of difference between domestic cricket and IPL. The mindset changes but cricket doesn't change. I look forward to playing my natural game. The level of cricket is different in domestic and IPL. It's a huge step for any young domestic player," he said.
"I got a couple of hundreds and more than 3-4 fifties in domestic cricket. I just didn't get many opportunities with the white ball.
"My form has been good throughout and looking forward to continue that and make the most of the opportunities that I get."
