IPL 2017: Fielding coach R Sridhar says Glenn Maxwell is a technically sound fielder

What’s the story?

One aspect in which the Kings XI Punjab team stands out from the remaining seven in the IPL is its composition of many good fielders. Fielding coach R. Sridhar singled out captain Glenn Maxwell as the best in the department for Punjab.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Sridhar said he was satisfied with the way Kings have evolved as a fielding unit.

“Glenn is the most technically superior player in the Kings XI Punjab. I am also happy with our overall fielding unit. We have the luxury of having some of the best fielders in the world. Maxwell, David Miller are among the best we have. Some of the Indian youngsters are also terrific,” Sridhar said on the eve of Kings’ contest against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

"Against Rising Pune Supergiant, except the one miscommunication between Manan (Vohra) and T Natarajan we did well as a fielding unit. When you are playing a game that last four hours, you got to be more aggressive and intense. Everybody has got a different technique and you need to factor in all that.”

In case you didn’t know...

The Kings XI outfit boasts of world class fielders like Glenn Maxwell, David Miller and Wriddhiman Saha among others. They rarely get it wrong on the field. In the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar series, Saha did his reputation no harm with some brilliant catches to emerge as a great wicket-keeper and fielder.

Maxwell and Miller, meanwhile, have both contributed time and again in the past editions by taking outstanding catches and stopping crucial runs for their side.

The heart of the matter

In his first match as captain, Maxwell led Punjab to a win over Rising Pune Supergiant and the Aussie will look to carry the positives from that game into tonight’s clash with the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

In their opening game, except for a single instance of miscommunication between T Natarajan and Manan Vohra, the team’s fielding was impeccable. They ended up taking five catches out of the six wickets that fell.

What’s next?

Kings XI play an upbeat Royal Challengers tonight at Indore’s Holkar Stadium. RCB lost their first game, but bounced back against Delhi Daredevils in the next one. Both the sides have balanced bowling and batting departments and the encounter thus promises to be enthralling.

Fielding could be what decides the encounter and without the likes of de Villiers and Kohli, Punjab definitely have the edge in that department.

Author’s Take

Glenn Maxwell has proved his impeccable fielding skills more than once. Who can forget his incredible diving catch to dismiss Liam Plunkett in the 2015 ODI series against England? Maxwell’s show of athleticism proved that he is one of the best fielders in the world and he could take that to another level this IPL.