A total of 179 is a challenging prospect for any chasing team, and the Kings XI Punjab batsmen did their part in setting that stiff target while batting first. But their opposition on the day was a team well known for its never-say-die style of cricket. The Rajasthan Royals have been notorious for stealing victories from the firm grasp of the opposition. But not this time. And the man who can take a lot of credit for that is Rishi Dhawan. The medium pacer, whose second over was creamed away to the tune of 13 runs (including three fours), made a sensational comeback that changed the course and eventually the fate of the game. Dhawan produced two perfect subtle in-swingers to castle RR’s two best batsmen – Ajinkya Rahane and Shane Watson – off consecutive deliveries. The fight got too tough even for RR, hence giving table-toppers, KXIP, a 16-run win in Mohali. After the match, Dhawan spoke to IPLT20.com about the secret to achieving the tough task of making a comeback as a bowler in a T20 match after initially getting hit around. Excerpts from his interview: What an over that was! We had put up a very good total and the pressure was on them. The main idea was to be consistent in our line and let them miss the ball. I managed to bring the ball in a bit on those two occasions, the batsmen missed it and it hit the stumps. How difficult is it to make a comeback in a T20 game after getting hit around in the previous over, given that you have only four overs in your hand? When you get hit for 10-12 runs in an over, it plays on your mind. Moreover, by the time you come on to bowl another over, the batsmen are so much more well set, and because the ball is older, the run-flow opens up. I think in such a scenario what is most important is your mental makeup. You don’t need to go in with a drastically different game plan – only with an uncluttered mind and confidence. How do you achieve that? In T20, it is sometimes best to consider every over a session. If the batsman won the first session, you try and pull things back in the next. Ajinkya and Sanju played me well in my second over and scored the boundaries. But when I went in to bowl my third over, I went with a fresh outlook. I bowled well and won that session. Most IPL franchises have a foreign coach at their helm. As a young upcoming Indian cricketer, do you think it’s advantageous to have an Indian coach around? It is a big advantage to have an Indian coach because you can gel with him much easier and faster. He understands the mindset of the Indian players and talks to them accordingly – the communication is much better. He spends a lot of time with me analysing my bowling, watching the videos of opponents and my own bowling and helping me come up with the right plans. Is there anything specific you’re working on with Joe Dawes? Yes, I am especially working with him on situational bowling – how to read situations and come up with subtle variations in plans to suit them.