Hyderabad, May 7 (IANS) Batting all-rounder Cooper Connolly has drawn high praise from Punjab Kings spin‑bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule, who described him as ‘a very good allrounder in the making’ and someone who has the right temperament to succeed at the highest level.

Connolly, 22, has been the side’s most consistent batter this season, much like how his idol Shaun Marsh was for the side in IPL 2008. His unbeaten 107 off 59 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday night underlined his growing stature in the tournament despite PBKS falling short by 33 runs and getting their third straight loss of the season.

Connolly, who bowls left‑arm spin, has not been used with the ball in IPL 2026 owing to Cricket Australia (CA) saying that he’s managing a back issue.

“He is somebody who’s very positive and he’s a great potential. Definitely he’ll play a long period for Australia. He’s a very good allrounder in the making, fabulous fielder and he’s got a good head on his shoulders.

“He’s a team man. For conditions here, we knew at some stage (that) it was a losing cause. But he just made sure that the momentum is on and see how we can get closer to the total. Because obviously things like these also help us in our net run‑rate. That’s what he did beautifully.

“I think he’s learning about being in India, playing in the conditions and the way he has adapted as an overseas player has been fabulous to see at that age (22) to come and to really play in different venues, different pitches and perform so well,” said Bahutule in the post-match press conference.

But dropped catches also cost PBKS dearly against SRH. Connolly himself, along with Shashank Singh and Lockie Ferguson, put down straightforward chances that allowed Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen to capitalise. Kishan went on to score 55 off 32 balls, while Klaasen made 69 off 43 deliveries.

Bahutule admitted the missed opportunities in fielding hurt the side. “It was very important for us to execute our plans and we did execute them. Unfortunately, catches were dropped and I think that hurt us. It was very important to take those catches because they are such players (Kishan and Klaasen) that if you tend to drop catches they will score and score quickly.

“I think definitely catching could have changed the momentum of the game. There would have been fresh batters on the pitch and we could have executed our plans more effectively and then ended up maybe giving more than 50 runs less,” he added.

Bahutule acknowledged the psychological impact of repeated misses but backed his players, especially Shashank, to recover from it. “Sometimes a player, for example, is not getting runs, there are a few innings (in) which he doesn’t get runs and he starts thinking as to why he’s not getting runs; a bowler also starts getting hit and he wonders as to what is the reason why I’m getting hit.

“Fielding is the same thing – if you keep dropping catches there is a sort of doubt created in the mind in terms of whether I’m catching properly or am I taking the pressure, am I being too anxious… things like that come creeping (in).

“But I think all the players of our team, they are well-equipped in terms of handling pressure and the way they have been doing so well in the fielding in the first half, it has been exceptional. So again, I think it’s important that we go back and reflect on things as to how we can have the right person at the right place or tweak it around.”

On the broader challenge of fielding under lights, Bahutule signed off by saying, “Fielding under lights is not easy because the ball comes out from the lights as well as from the crowd. The higher it goes, obviously it’s going to fall down as quickly as possible and the gravity will obviously take its toll.

“But being a professional player, you should understand the technique, understand the method in which every ball which goes up has to be caught. So I think players are aware of it is the question of just executing it.”

–IANS

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