Vipraj Nigam, the spinner for the Delhi Capitals, thinks that playing at home doesn’t really give teams a big edge in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He believes that every team prepares pretty much the same way for the different places they play in. Nigam shared his thoughts just before their away game against the Lucknow Super Giants, which is set to take place at the Ekana Stadium on Tuesday evening.
This season, several teams, like the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Chennai Super Kings, have had a tough time winning on their home turf. Because of this, we’ve heard quite a few captains and coaching staff grumble about the home pitch not being great for their playing style. But Nigam isn’t buying into that too much. He pointed out that, while home conditions can be comforting, they’re not really a game-changer.
“Playing at home doesn’t really provide much of an advantage in the IPL,” said Nigam during a press meeting before the match, where he was quoted by PTI. “Sure, you know how the weather is and you’re aware of the ground’s size and everything, but all teams basically prep the same way for a game. For instance, we had the UP T20 league here recently, so some of us have played a few T20s at this stadium. Sameer Rizvi and I know the ground pretty well, so we’re going to stick to the plans we had in that tournament.
Having grown up in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, this will be the first time Nigam gets to play in the capital of his home state this season. “It definitely comes with its own set of pressures and nerves during these games. It kind of intensifies when you’re playing in front of your family and coach,” he admitted.
So far this season, Nigam has picked up seven wickets and scored 54 runs with an impressive strike rate of 207.69 while batting lower in the order. His standout performance of 39 runs helped lead the Delhi Capitals to victory against the same Lucknow team earlier in the season.
“I like to think of myself as an all-rounder,” Nigam commented. “I want to contribute with both bat and ball whenever my team needs it.” He also mentioned that he leans on the seniors for guidance in every game. “The experience of the senior players is really helpful. Some of our teammates were with Lucknow last year and are with us now, so we discuss those strategies in our team meetings and plan our approach accordingly,” he added.
With the match coming up and his team looking to bounce back, it seems like Nigam is not only focused but also ready to tackle the challenges ahead, drawing on every bit of experience he’s gathered thus far.
