If I had to put my finger on a particular event, it would be the 50-over World Cup in 2015, when TEAMS REALISED it was not about containing but taking wickets, because the modern day batsman has enough in his armoury to make the bowlers pay.
Deception, illusion and mystery are among traits common between magicians and spinners. For a while, there was a danger of spinners losing importance in the onslaught of T20 cricket. That’s what many thought. But like other breeds of sportsmen, when challenged to remain relevant, spinners have evolved. The least expected kind is the one which has done this the best — the leg-spinner. Not without reason, do we see so many of them prosper in the IPL. Let’s examine what makes them such a hit in this format.
Bowlers are only as good as their captains. That’s something I strongly believe in. The overriding bowling plan in the initial years was to contain the batsmen so that they would get frustrated and throw their wickets away.
LEFT-ARM FINGER SPINNERS were in demand because traditionally, they’ve been the most economical. The right-arm variety wasn’t too far behind either. Leggies didn’t fit in the scheme of things because they were regarded as expensive, even though they took wickets.
But the containing mindset began to change and if I had to put my finger on a particular event, it would be the 50-over World Cup in 2015, when teams realised it was not about containing but taking wickets, because the modern day batsman has enough in his armoury to make the bowlers pay. With wickets in hand, anything is achievable in the death overs.
I WOULD TO A GREAT EXTENT credit Brendon McCullum, for this change in the mindset of the captains. Irrespective of the situation, he would always have fielders in catching positions and urge bowlers to deliver attacking lines and lengths. Suddenly, the leggies started finding favourable captains, who didn’t mind trading a few runs for wickets .
Denne historien er fra May 6, 2017-utgaven av Sportstar.
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Denne historien er fra May 6, 2017-utgaven av Sportstar.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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