Bipul Sharma’s batting in the last two playoff matches has made people wonder why he was not played earlier by the Hyderabad franchise.
Before playing in the eliminator game in Delhi where he hit Morne Morkel out of the park twice in the 20th over to add some handy runs to the total, Bipul had played only one game in this year’s IPL.
Hyderabad’s preferred policy in the league stage was not to play any specialist spinner and just to go with 4 pace bowlers instead, but, whenever, they came across a sluggish deck and had to have some spin in their ranks, it was always Karn Sharma, the leg spinner, whom they chose.
But, Bipul, with his hitting and also, with his economical bowling, has shown he could have been a better bet and could have helped Hyderabad seal those close affairs which they couldn’t due to inefficient lower order batting support.
Bipul smashing Morkel the other day was actually seen by some people as the chancy hits coming off well and nobody credited it to his skills, but, when he did the same to the Lions attack and that too to one of the very best death bowlers in the world, Dwayne Bravo, he ensured he drew some credit for that because it was skilful.
Of the five sixes Bipul has hit in the two matches, there’s not been a single wild hoick. He has played the drives and also, a flat batted pull on one occasion.
His back-lift contributes to his hitting because he doesn’t raise the bat too high and that’s what gives him the time to meet the ball at the sweet spot even if the speed the ball is coming at is in the one forties or one fifties.