OLKATA – Be it Chris Gayle or Andre Russell, the West Indian cricketershave been in big demand in Twenty20 leagues across the world and formerZimbabwe captain Heath Streak says it could be because perhaps the‘powerful’ Caribbeans get ‘bored’ playing Test cricket.
Gayle smashed 104 not out from 63 balls against one of the best bowlingattacks of the tournament – Sunrisers Hyderabad – to fashion Kings XIPunjab’s 15-run victory. Gayle who holds the record for the fastest T20century and also the leading run-getter was back in his elements, daysafter his Jamaican fellow mate Andre Russell’s 12-ball 41 helped KKR returnto winning ways with a 71-run victory over Delhi. It’s not just about Gayleand Russell alone but there’s Sunil Narine who has been credited for KKR’ssuccess story in winning titles in 2012 and 2014. Also the likes of DwayneBravo (Chennai Super Kings), Kieron Pollard and Evin Lewis (both MumbaiIndians) form the core of their respective franchises in the IPL.
“Firstly, they enjoy it I think. They get bored by playing the long formatof the game. A lot of them are playing all the leagues around the world, Ifyou look at guys like Andre and Sunil from our team and others in thetournament like Pollard,” Streak said. “You are getting to a stage whereguys are making a career solely out of playing T20 cricket. They play inPSL (Pakistan), CPL (Caribbean), BBL (Big Bash), IPL.
“They’ve got physical attributes, the power. The guys like Pollard, Russellare physically strong guys, even their mis-hits go over the boundary.” Butthe KKR bowling coach hoped they have got enough variations in theirarmoury to stop Gayle early before he gets into his zone. “Lot of peoplealways ask us bowling coaches ‘what’s the plan’. It is very difficult forus to say because then he’ll find out. So we can’t really tell you theexact plan. He is a dangerous player. How you start to him is veryimportant early on. If you allow someone like Chris to get into rhythm andconfidence, he is a very dangerous player. He is so powerful and backs hisability when the ball is in his zone to clear the boundary.”
Streak further said variation of slow balls have become the flavour of thisIPL. In a format dominated by batsmen, it’s the bowlers who have becomeintelligent and smart – be it the pacers who cleverly use their slower onesto great effect or the demand of the wily wrist spinners. “Players havedeveloped the ramp shots and stuff like reverse ramp. It has challenged thebowlers. You have seen that the different varieties of slow balls havebecome the flavour of the tournament,” Streak said at the pre-match newsconference. Streak said wide yorkers and knuckle balls have become handyvariations for the pacers.
“It’s not just the good old off-cutters and the ones that come from theback of the hand. We have seen the knuckle balls, and its variation. Mostbatsmen are now so good strikers that if you miss a yorker, and it’s halfvolley or a low full toss, it generally goes to the boundary. That’s whythe wide yorkers. There’s not many players who can consistently hit foursand sixes over the offside field. That’s why you see a lot many wideyorkers being implemented.” Streak also hailed the U-19 World Cup winningduo of Shivam Mavi and Shubman Gill. “They definitely are right from theVirat Kohli school of fielding… Last year’s KKR, I think the fieldingwasn’t one of their strengths.
I think we are definitely one of the top fielding sides with the youngsterscoming in. That’s also a welcome aspect of KKR’s game that these guys havebrought.”