IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders' Yusuf Pathan Defends Royal Challengers Bangalore Bowling

Yusuf Pathan led the Kolkata Knight Riders' successful chase by decimating the Royal Challengers Bangalore's bowling unit but the all-rounder refused to agree with Sunil Gavaskar's assessment of Bangalore's bowling, which he had termed as 'popatwadi attack'.

KKR chased down a formidable RCB target of 186 with ease as Pathan smashed an unbeaten 60 off 29 balls on Monday.

"Any team playing, or for that matter any batting lineup, and especially any bowling lineup cannot be called Popatwadi Attack, when teams are participating in big tournaments as IPL," Pathan told reporters during the post-match press conference.

During a studio discussion, Gavaskar had called RCB's bowling as "popatwadi attack".

"It is his viewpoint and his perception. Whatever he said, it is according to his understanding. But look at Varun Aaron and Shane Watson, they both have represented their country for their achievements," he said.

Pathan said when RCB's bowling attack start clicking, they will become a very different team.

"Unfortunately for RCB, compared to their batting strengths, their bowling has not been clicking. It is a matter of two to three games, and if their bowling clicks the team will look altogether a different side," said.

Pathan said the 96-run partnership for the fifth wicket between him and Andre Russell played a crucial role in KKR's victory against RCB.

"In the initial period of our partnership, Russell took the role of going after the bowling, and I steadied the innings, which helped us build a good partnership, and from there on the target began to look small," he said.

"We were just thinking of staying on the wicket and playing shots, when the team was struggling at 69 for four," he said.

On Gautam Gambhir's captaincy, Pathan said he is a very good captain, and most importantly he trusts and backs his players in good or bad situation.

"Trusting and backing players in any situation boosts the morale of the players," he said.