SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Assistant coach Simon Helmot confident about Sunrisers Hyderabad’s playoffs chances

Ahead of the clash against Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad assistant coach Simon Helmot spoke about how the team needs to be at its best to ensure a playoffs spot.

“We need to be on our best, prepare well, play the opposition in the conditions as best we possibly can, but most importantly concentrate on our brand of cricket. Whether it be scoring runs or in fact taking wickets or being really aggressive in the field, I think you saw our fielding last game, it was probably one of our best for the season,” Helmot said.

“I think when we’ve played our best cricket, played smart, developed partnerships, but we’ve looked to really attack the spinners as well. So, I think our approach doesn’t change, whether it’s pace or spin. It is a bonus to have a week’s break in an IPL tournament. I think I’ve been involved with SRH for just over a decade now. I don’t think there’s ever been a break like that before, so it’s nice to refresh, it’s been a big tournament,” Helmot said.

“We had a camp at the start of the season and then into the season. So, it’s nice to have that time to catch up with friends and family,” he said.

“I don’t think it (long break) changes momentum. Each game is different, we’re used to having breaks. We had some five-day breaks throughout the tournament, so I don’t think that will change anyway in which we prepare,” Helmot said.

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“You’ve got to make the playoffs to get a top two finish. So, we will absolutely concentrate on trying to win this next match, that’s the foremost at our attention,” he said.

On his prediction as to which teams would make it to the playoffs, Helmot said it was very difficult because they had seen some teams are in playoffs contention despite having a poor start.

“There are still a number of teams vying for contention in the playoffs. So, we just need to make sure we stay focused, we play our best brand of cricket as we can tomorrow to ensure that we give ourselves a chance to be in the playoffs,” he said.

Reflecting on which player fascinated him the most, Helmot said that a player who had prepared very well and came into this tournament fresh and ready was Abhishek Sharma.

“I’m very pleased with our replacement overseas player Vijay (Sri Lankan leg-spinner Vijaykanth Viyaskanth). I think for his first game to come in and bowl as well as he did, I thought was an excellent output,” Helmot said.