'Wasn't enjoying it': Allen reflects on his return to form
What's the story
New Zealand batter Finn Allen has opened up about his return to form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The opener, who had a stellar T20 World Cup semifinal against South Africa, struggled initially with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He was replaced by Tim Seifert after three disappointing games. However, his recent performances have been nothing short of spectacular.
Early challenges
Mixed bag in initial games
Allen's initial games for KKR were a mixed bag. He scored 37 off 17 balls and 28 off seven balls in his first two matches against Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, he couldn't maintain the momentum, scoring just six runs off seven balls, nine runs off eight balls, and one run off three balls in his next three outings. This dismal performance led to Tim Seifert replacing him in the squad.
Resurgence
Allen on fire since his return
After a three-match hiatus, Allen made his comeback and has been on fire ever since. He scored 29 off 13 balls, a blistering unbeaten century off 47 balls, and 18 off eight balls in his first three games back. His latest innings was a blistering knock of 93 runs off just 45 balls against Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens. The innings was laced with 10 sixes and four fours, keeping KKR's playoff hopes alive.
Self-reflection
Was probably a shell of a human: Allen
After his match-winning innings against Gujarat Titans, Allen opened up about the pressure he put on himself at the start of the tournament. "To be honest, at the start of the tournament, I was putting far too much pressure on myself to perform and I was probably a shell of a human for a bit there and it was all self-inflicted," he said at a press conference.
Pressure management
'Wasn't enjoying it as much'
Allen further elaborated on how stepping out of the side helped him look at things from a different perspective. "I love playing cricket, I love batting and I wasn't enjoying it as much as I should have at the time because I was putting too much pressure on myself. So having those few games off, really did me a good thing. And yeah, it's a great learning for sure," he added.