Why are teams struggling with chasing small totals?

[Texan]

It seems like we have had multiple games in this IPL when chasing teams have been ultra conservative in their chases, let the run rate required climb and then lost the game. At the same time, many 200+ targets are getting approached aggressively and chasing teams are getting so close.

 

So the question is: if a team can almost chase 200+, why can't they approach smaller targets with a similar mental approach and try to knock out the target early?

 

Is it all down to the pitch?

 

Is it the mental approach teams take of being conservative when it comes to small targets?

 

Is it the pressure of ensuring they don't screw up the chase?

 

With so much support staff for each team, is it really beneficial to the players or are they just hearing too many opinions and are not able to think clearly on their own?

 

 

[rkt.india]

Because cricket is a game of conditions and on tricky sluggish pitches unable to chase small targets is nothing new.  

[Texan]

3 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

Because cricket is a game of conditions and on tricky sluggish pitches unable to chase small targets is nothing new.  

140 odd target with 10 wickets in hand with impact player rule should be chased EVERY TIME. Unless the pitch is like a 5th day Test match minefield. 

[zen]

A total depends on conditions. Just because at venue X, the totals scored are in the 190+ range, it does not mean that could be the case at venue Y. Even pitches at the same venue can produce different results. 

 

The range 150<, 150-170, 170-190, 190-210, & >210 depends on the conditions, which determine what is a low total. Therefore if the range is 150-170, then 150 is the low total, 160 is the middle, and 170 is on the higher side of the range. 

 

Some factors that cause the totals to fall into the lower range and chasing difficult:

• Dry pitch if there is no dew 
• Softer ball towards the end where a lack of pace can make it difficult to even maneuver the ball for 1s and 2s
• Relatively stronger bowling attacks esp. with the impact sub 
• Bowlers are now more used to nailing yorkers. There are death over specialists as well
• High pressure as teams fight for every point 

 

In such conditions, batsmen need to put bad balls away for boundaries. Make good use of the 1st 10 overs (and PP) as if there is no dew and the softer ball will make scoring more difficult. 

 

 

[vvvslaxman]

Match ups can screw teams over. Seen it many times at chennai in the past. Dhoniconda has defended several under par totals on dry wickets. As we move into may it will even be easier to defend totals. I am only talking about losses that don't involve KL Rahul.

[singhvivek141]

Targets like 150-170 on tricky pitches bring a lot of factors in play.

When you're chasing 200+, you have no choice but to hit out or get out. 

 

For 150-170 there is always a dilemma on conserving wicket + maintaining healthy run rate, which most of our batters fail to do.

 

Not to mention that likes of Rahul Tripathi, Mayank are fringe players and want to comeback to national team..150-170 score allows them to become selfish and think for themselves first before the team.

 

 

[vvvslaxman]

Or may be it is scripted 

 

Friday: CSK won by 7 wickets. 

Saturday: GT won by 7 runs.

Sunday: RCB won by 7 runs.

Monday: DC won by 7 runs.

Edited April 24, 2023 by vvvslaxman

[rollingstoned]

19 minutes ago, zen said:

A total depends on conditions. Just because at venue X, the totals scored are in the 190+ range, it does not mean that could be the case at venue Y. Even pitches at the same venue can produce different results. 

 

The range 150<, 150-170, 170-190, 190-210, & >210 depends on the conditions, which determine what is a low total. Therefore if the range is 150-170, then 150 is the low total, 160 is the middle, and 170 is on the higher side of the range. 

 

Some factors that cause the totals to fall into the lower range and chasing difficult:

• Dry pitch if there is no dew 
• Softer ball towards the end where a lack of pace can make it difficult to even maneuver the ball for 1s and 2s
• Relatively stronger bowling attacks esp. with the impact sub 
• Bowlers are now more used to nailing yorkers. There are death over specialists as well
• High pressure as teams fight for every point 

 

In such conditions, batsmen need to put bad balls away for boundaries. Make good use of the 1st 10 overs (and PP) as if there is no dew and the softer ball will make scoring more difficult. 

 

 

Chasing 150-160 scores, the rrr can suddenly creep up on you and make it hard if the pitch is not a road and the new batsman also finds it hard to get going. 

[tapandrun]

Nt finishing the game in power play 

[MK55]

Poor quality batters for those conditions.

Batting has progressed in a polarizing manner. On one side, power hitting has improved drastically on batting-friendly surfaces. 

 

But on the flip side, batting in challenging conditions has deteriorated massively. Something that has accentuated this effect is the lack of domestic batting talent in IPL for such conditions. The way the Indian batters have been playing spin is embarrassing, to say the least. Not only are they inept in handling short stuff against pace but batting against spin has been pathetic too.

 

 

[bowl_out]

22 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

Or may be it is scripted 

 

Friday: CSK won by 7 wickets. 

Saturday: GT won by 7 runs.

Sunday: RCB won by 7 runs.

Monday: DC won by 7 runs.

No wonder

[Texan]

Last 5 games that had results:

 

In 3 of them 200+ runs were successfully chased

 

In the other 2, 130 or lower total chases were botched up. 

[zen]

One factor could be that the 200+ chases allow batsmen to play freely with practically no consequences even if they get out to a bad shot. 

 

In a 130-150 chase, teams have to recalibrate their mindset and also there is a consequence to getting out (like what was the need for that shot at that point in time when you are chasing only this). Usually, the 130-150 range is defended by picking up early wickets (which could be due to the surface as that would have likely created a low-scoring game in the first place). Loss of quick early wickets creates additional pressure on those at the crease ("With so many wickets down what is the need to play the shot. And if a partnership is being created, why not go for more shots"). Since the batsmen have seen wicket tumbles, they also would have questions if a new man at the crease can succeed. Therefore, they try to take the game deep, which at times, brings the other team into the game. 

[Trichromatic]

And then people expect teams to chase at rate of 5 on day 5 pitch in test cricket by citing example of T20 cricket.

[rkt.india]

On 4/25/2023 at 6:41 AM, MK55 said:

Poor quality batters for those conditions.

Batting has progressed in a polarizing manner. On one side, power hitting has improved drastically on batting-friendly surfaces. 

 

But on the flip side, batting in challenging conditions has deteriorated massively. Something that has accentuated this effect is the lack of domestic batting talent in IPL for such conditions. The way the Indian batters have been playing spin is embarrassing, to say the least. Not only are they inept in handling short stuff against pace but batting against spin has been pathetic too.

 

 

that is a wrong assessment. Which batsman in the past has scored 7-8 rpo in challenging conditions? batting difficulty is proportional to speed of scoring.     

[Jay]

@Vijy @vvvslaxman  @Stan AF

@velu

[MK55]

On 5/4/2023 at 1:58 AM, rkt.india said:

that is a wrong assessment. Which batsman in the past has scored 7-8 rpo in challenging conditions? batting difficulty is proportional to speed of scoring.     

That's wrong interpretation of the question.

We aren't talking about the combined scores of the two teams for a given set of pitch conditions. 

Specifically talking about the ability of teams to chase low totals down. And if teams chasing low totals have got a lower percentage on win ratio compared to earlier years, then that can be attributed to batting ability.