A hat-trick of losses might have jeopardized Delhi Capitals' playoff chances but opener Ajinkya Rahane said the string of defeats doesn’t make the Shreyas Iyer-led side a bad one and stressed on staying positive and playing as a unit in the upcoming matches.
After a dominating show in the first phase, the Capitals suffered three straight losses to slip to the third spot with 14 points in the IPL standings, making its last two league games crucial for its playoffs qualification.
However, Rahane said such losses are part and parcel of a tournament as big as the IPL.
“I think we started off really well, won seven out of nine games initially, and then the last three games were not as per what we wanted, but this is going to happen in a tournament like IPL You play 14 league games, it’s a big tournament,” Rahane said during a pre-match press conference.
“I think the upcoming two games are really important, and it’s all about staying positive. Three losses don’t make us a bad team. It’s all about playing to our strength and backing each and every individual. As a team, we are really looking forward to playing against Mumbai now and then RCB.”
On Saturday, DC will take on defending champions Mumbai Indians, who have already qualified for the play-off with 16 points.
“Mumbai is a good team, they are a strong team and we know their past as well. I mean, they did so well in IPL. For us, what is important is to play to our strength, what we have been doing, and it’s all about giving our best tomorrow,” said Rahane.
“Each and every individual is capable of winning the game for our team, so I think we should believe in that and believe in our ability. We all know that they play as a unit and we know how strong they are. So, for us, it’s all about playing as a unit against Mumbai Indians tomorrow and play to win.”
Since its loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, the Delhi has been on a three-day break and Rahane said it was helpful for the team.
“Sometimes it does help, you can actually reflect what went wrong, especially last three games. You can actually think about it and learn from your mistakes. It does help mentally and physically also. You get a break, switch off completely, and think about your own preparations and what your team needs from you," he said.
“I believe in that (the break), it’s all about how you take it. After losing a game, you always learn a lot. In fact, after each and every game, I always believe that you learn something or the other,” he added.
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