Making his debut in the IPL, Connolly scored 72 runs off 44 balls, featuring five fours and two sixes.
“I woke up feeling a bit nervous, which I was actually glad about. I was eager to get out there and contribute to the team,” Connolly told JioStar.
“Ricky Ponting kept me calm and composed. He encouraged me to play my game and dominate. It was a strong team effort. Our bowling was excellent and made things easier for us.”
“I was looking forward to spending time in the middle with Shreyas Iyer and picking his brain a little. He’s a world-class player. I’ve faced him a bit while playing for Australia A and Australia. He’s a great player for a reason, and I hope to learn as much as I can,” he noted.
Connolly has long admired Shaun Marsh, having been part of the Western Australia team under the mentorship of the seasoned player.
“It was a special moment when I got selected. Shaun Marsh was the first person I spoke to, and he offered some encouraging words,” Connolly mentioned.
“Growing up, I played at Western Australia with him for a long time, and he has always supported me. I viewed him as both a mentor and an idol,” he added.
Prasidh’s late introduction to the game
On the other hand, legendary Indian spinner Anil Kumble expressed his astonishment at the Gujarat Titans introducing their leading bowler from the previous season, Prasidh Krishna, late in the innings.
Prasidh bowled 4-0-29-3, but his late introduction couldn’t save the Titans from defeat.
“It was surprising that the Gujarat Titans used Prasidh Krishna, the Purple Cap holder (in IPL 2025), only in the 13th over,” Kumble stated.
“… that short length troubled all batters throughout the match, and Prasidh figured it out early in his spell. However, he was brought in too late in the innings. It’s rare to have a bowler complete all four overs in the last eight overs of the innings.
“Holding him back like that cost them, which is why the last over from Prasidh Krishna went for 14 runs. For GT’s sake, he should have bowled at least one over between the sixth and tenth overs, as he was well-suited to that pitch,” Kumble added.
Discussing Yuzvendra Chahal, who had an impressive 4-0-28-2, Kumble noted that the veteran leg-spinner made smart adjustments during his spell.
“He didn’t rely too much on variations in his setup against the batters. He consistently bowled slightly wide and was very clever in that regard. He assessed the conditions and targeted the larger side of the field,” Kumble observed.
“He understood that if any batter were to take him on that side, they needed to connect perfectly, which they didn’t. Those wickets of Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler came at a crucial time for Punjab Kings since Gill was poised to take advantage of a solid start,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)
First Published: Apr 1, 2026 5:30 PM IST
