Dharamsala, May 4
Experts have always opined not to change a winning combination and Punjab Kings will follow the wisdom handed down the ages when they take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings in Match 53 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium here on Sunday afternoon.
On an upswing after two wins on the trot, Punjab Kings will face the five-time champions CSK for the second time within a few days as they attempt to move up from the seventh position they currently occupy in the standings and get into a position to challenge for a place in the Playoffs.
Sunday's match is their first game at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala this season and PBKS spin bowling coach Sunil Joshi explained why his side enjoys travelling to Dharamsala for the IPL games.
"The ground in Dharamsala is one of the best grounds in the cricket world because of the location and the surface we get to play here. It's a fantastic ground," Joshi said at the pre-match press conference on Saturday.
Punjab defeated Kolkata Knight Riders, chasing down the world T20 record total of 262 last week. Earlier this week, PBKS picked a big win over the Chennai Super Kings, chasing 163 with 7 wickets in hand and 13 balls to spare.
Entering the contest with a positive mindset and on the back of two solid victories, Joshi said that his side will stick with the same playing combination. "No, we do not think we will be making any changes. Because we want to keep up the winning squad," he said.
The former Indian left-arm spinner further gave an update on skipper Shikhar Dhawan's injury status and also praised Sam Curran for taking over the leadership role effectively in Dhawan's absence.
"Dhawan's rehabilitation is on track. He is doing well. He is not available for the next game. Hopefully, he will be back for the final two games," Joshi said. "Shikhar was also injured last year. He was playing well but Sam had to come up as captain because of his injury. Sam has come up as a leader yet again and he has stepped up with the team," he added.
The tournament has reached a stage where all the teams are fighting to grab the top four spots and confirm a spot in the playoffs. Joshi insisted his side is focused on getting the right results and is not too focused on the points table calculations.
"The team conversations that we have had, our approach is to put in the best effort and to play to win the game. The table calculations will come on their own. We do not see that part very closely. What we look at is what are the areas we can do better, what we have not done over the past few games, what best we can do and how we can improve as a team. That is the conversation we have with the players," he said. "Our plan of action is to keep winning. The challenge is always with the bat and ball. It's a good surface. I keep telling players to hold their horses and execute their skill," he signed off.