Delhi Capitals assistant coach Mohammad Kaif on Wednesday pointed out that IPL teams are replacing poor fielders with agile ones during games and hoped that the umpires will take notice of this unfair practice.
“It is right that most matches are finishing close tomidnight. Teams are bringing in good fielders and replacing them with slowones. I think the umpires should look at the changes that the teams aremaking,” Kaif told reporters ahead of Delhi’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabadat the Feroz Shah Kotla on Thursday.
Kaif, who was among the best fielders in the Indian team inhis playing days, said his IPL team will not hesitate to report the dubiouspractice of changing fielders in the middle of the game.
“For example, DC versus KKR match, (Andrew) Russell wentout, Rinku singh came to field. Piyush Chawla quickly bowled his four overs andwent out and Rinku again came back.
“We have seen that in the last Punjab game as well. SarfarazKhan didn’t come to field after being hit on the gloves. I don’t know if he isinjured. Karun Nair came to field and he took a good catch at long on ofIngram. Teams are playing smart and making changes which are not right to me.We will bring it up with the umpires,” he added.
Though its early days in the 12th edition of IPL, slowover-rate has been an issue with IPL governing body handing out a fine of Rs 12lakhs to Rajasthan Royals captain Ajinkya Rahane and Mumbai Indians skipperRohit Sharma.
“Teams defending are taking too much time I think, I don’tunderstand all these planning in the IPL, there is an hour long meeting andalso a lot of planning even at the field,” Kaif said.
“We as support staff want to keep the planning as less as possible otherwise it gets confusing,” he said.