Teams are well-prepared to tackle our bowlers: Shreevats Goswami

HYDERABAD: Sunrisers Hyderabad have a tough task on hand as they gear up for the qualifiers. The table-toppers have seen their fortunes dip as they have slumped to their third consecutive loss on Saturday night but they had done enough earlier on to ensure that they end up among the top two teams.
The much vaunted bowling attack has come under tremendous pressure in the last few games.The Sunrisers, who had turned defending small totals into an art this season, have begun to feel the heat as the bowlers are finding it difficult to contain the rival batsmen.
"This is our 14th game and other teams are looking at our videos and trying to figure out how to get runs against us and not every day we can turn up and defend a small total which we have done in the past. When we come to the 14th game, obviously the other teams will be more prepared. They have seen Rashid (Khan), Shakib (Al Hasan), Siddarth (Kaul) and have come better prepared," wicketkeeper-batsman Shreevats Goswami said.
Will the losses have an impact on their chances in the qualifiers? Have the Sunrisers lost the momentum? Goswami, who opened the innings with Shikhar Dhawan and gave the hosts the best opening stand of the season, thinks otherwise. "I think momentum doesn't come in when any team goes into the qualifiers. Everybody comes well prepared. Right now we have lost three games and we are more aware of the situation and we'll come back stronger. We'll assess our strengths and weaknesses.
"Yes Chennai has beaten us twice. Whoever wins in Kolkata can come into the final. Momentum works quite well in the league phase but when it comes to qualifiers the game on that day becomes important," Goswami, who scored 35, added.
Assessing the loss against Kolkata Knight Riders, Goswami said they fell 15-20 runs short of what could have been a match-winning total. "We had a good opening stand but once Kane (Williamson) got out we got tied up and got only about 30 odd in the final five overs. I think we were about 15 to 20 runs short. The Hyderabad wicket has been playing quite tricky. In the whole season, this wicket has been the best and we didn't go for big shots in the middle. Bowlers bowled well but only got three or four wickets. There wasn't any assistance for the spinners too. So it got easier at the end for them."