Kolkata Knight Riders messed up in Super Over, says Rajat Bhatia

Senior all-rounder Rajat Bhatia on Thursday took a mild dig at Kolkata Knight Riders by stating that every member of Rajasthan Royals was aware about the equation of the the Super Over but he was unsure whether KKR knew that two runs off last ball would have clinched the issue.

"This Rajasthan Royals team believes in playing smart cricket rather than aggressive cricket. We knew that two runs from the last delivery was good enough to win the match. Steve Smith and Shane Watson were out there in the middle and you don't need to tell them what needs to be done. They knew it beforehand. It was about showing common sense which is emphasised at every team meeting.

"Every guy in our team knew about the equation. I don't know whether KKR players were about it or not," Bhatia said prior to the Royals' net session.

Asked about the difference in playing for the Royals, the veteran all-rounder was frank in his assessment. "Well, I think they are more planned and systematic in their approach. Here every move is meticulously sorted out. It's not like we just go to the ground and plan things. We have things sorted out much before. Some plans work and some don't," he said. (James Faulkner hailed as hero in Rajasthan Royals camp)

Rajasthan Royals have won three matches in the UAE leg and Bhatia insists that there was no specific goal as far as the number of victories is concerned.

"To be honest there wasn't any kind of targets set. We have a very good set of players and a mentor of Rahul Dravid's calibre. So when we go out there on the field, we don't care about winning and losing. We try to play our best cricket and we know that we will get the best results."

Asked if a lack of superstars save Watson has been a boon, Bhatia replied, "Every player in our team is a superstar. That's the reason why they have been picked. It's not about Watson but every individual in this team who will have to play their part. (RR's win over KKR a big step forward, says Rahul Dravid)

"They know the roles assigned to them. It's not about foreign players overshadowing Indian players. At the end of the day, four foreign players will play and seven Indian players."

For Bhatia, the role remains the same wherein he needs to restrict the opposition batsmen in the middle overs. "I am doing what exactly I did for Delhi Daredevils and KKR in earlier editions of IPL. My job is to make the batsmen struggle with my strengths and get a few wickets. It's not about bowling 140 kmph."

Bhatia is ready to provide inputs about the Feroze Shah Kotla track, which he knows like the back of his palm.

"Obviously, the team will benefit from my experience of playing at the Kotla. All teams will now realise that maximum matches will be played in India. So all teams need to adapt quickly and do their homework. As far as playing at the Kotla is concerned, yes, it is an advantage but I haven't yet had a look at the wicket as it is covered."