No scope for complacency, says Indians' Duminy

So far, the Protean has failed to live up to expectations. So much so that the talented batsman had to wait for nine games before he got his first match this season. “I am disappointed that I haven’t played a major role this season, I missed the first nine matches of the season,” admitted Duminy.

But he has been enjoying his stint with the table-toppers. “It’s been a great one. It’s been an unbelievable experience, the atmosphere out there at the ground is electric,” he added.Mumbai are already in the semis, but Duminy ruled out any complacency. “We know that complacency could creep in, we are very much aware of that situation. We should play every match like a semifinal or a final and give our best,” he remarked while ruling out too much experimentation.

“I guess it’s a mixture of both -- experimentation and as well as sticking to some of the tried and tested combination. There are a lot of guys who have been playing for a couple of games. It’s an ideal opportunity for them,” he pointed out.

Asked if Mumbai would go for a combination that is most likely to feature in the semis to be held here, Duminy said that he didn’t think so. “The conditions could vary from tomorrow to semifinal day, it’s an ideal opportunity for a couple of guys to get their turn,” he maintained.

Make-shift wicket-keepers have been preferred over regulars in this tournament by both Mumbai and Bangalore to get their combinations right, and Duminy felt there was really no role for a specialist stumper in T20.

“I don’t think there is a place for a specialist wicket-keeper. Look at the Bangalore team, Robin Uthappa is keeping wickets and he is not a regular wicket-keeper. It’s just a 20-over game and you need to have a strong batting line-up,” he observed.
Duminy will have happy memories of the Chinnaswamy stadium. Last September, the left-hander smashed an unbeaten 99 to single-handedly steer Cape Cobras to an astonishing win over the Royal Challengers in the first match of the inaugural Champions League. The Challengers will be hoping there is no encore on the morrow.