'I was a bit rusty compared to what I was bowling for last six to eight months.'
Having returned to the team after recovering from injury, Sunrisers Hyderabad seamer Ashish Nehra confessed that he was a bit "rusty" against Rising Pune Supergiants, but expressed confidence of getting better as he plays more games in the ongoing IPL tournament.
"I played after two weeks. The more I will play, I will get better. I was a bit rusty compared to what I was bowling for last six to eight months. So, as more games come up in the next one week or 10 days, I will get better from here," he said, at the post-match press conference after Sunrisers Hyderabad lost to Rising Pune Supergiants by 34 runs in a rain-hit match.
Electing to bowl, Pune restricted Hyderabad to a poor 118-8 and replied with 94 for 3 in 11 overs before rain interrupted the match.
Pune won by 34 runs via the Duckworth/Lewis method after rain prevented further play.
Disappointed at ending up on the losing side, Nehra, however, said it is part of the game and learning from mistakes is the way forward.
"It can happen in any T20 game. You must have seen so many times. Teams are scoring 200, 220 and the same team next game is getting out for 120, 130. That's the nature of the game. That can happen.
"But once you are 30 for 5, you are always playing that catching up game. We are lucky to score 120, because Bhuvneshwar Kumar managed to score those 20 runs in the end. Otherwise, at one point of time, we were like 105, 100 may be. Once you are defending 100 or 110, it's very difficult."
Nehra said there is no need to panic following the defeat.
"After losing one or two games, we don't need to panic. You can even play 10 batters. It does not mean you will score 200. You have to have bowlers also to do well.
"You see RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore), for instance. They are always scoring 180, 200 and other teams are still able to chase. It is not like only one team can hit big shots. Other teams can also hit. So, I think, we have enough batting. It's just that we have to apply better. It is part of the game.
"All in all, it wasn't a good game for us. But there is plenty more to come; still early days in the tournament. We are looking forward."
Hyderabad won three matches on the trot while chasing some tricky targets and Nehra said it has become a trend of late that teams are winning more batting second.
"In IPL, lately, it has been the trend that teams chasing are winning more. Unless you are chasing 190 or 200, it also depends on the wicket. Some grounds like Bangalore and Mumbai, people are even chasing 200. So we were lucky.
"All the three times, we chased only 135 and 140. It becomes easy for us. But, all in all, you always look to improve. Nobody likes to be 30 for 5."
