New Delhi. Royal Challengers Bangalore’s experienced fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar believes that nowadays T20 batsmen play aggressively, hence bowlers should adopt defensive and strategic thinking even in the powerplay, even if the ball is swinging. Bhuvneshwar took a brilliant 3 wickets and gave just 5 runs and along with Josh Hazlewood (4/12) bowled out Delhi Capitals for just 75 runs on the bouncy and swinging pitch of Kotla.
RCB achieved the target in 6.3 overs with nine wickets left. Bhuvneshwar said, “The biggest change is that the batsmen now do not stop when the ball swings even in the powerplay. Earlier there was more respect for the conditions, but now there is constant aggression. That is why it is important to change the mindset of the bowlers, being defensive is not wrong, it is a matter of bowling as per the plan and targeting the weaknesses.
No matter what the pitch is in the powerplay, you will have to hit.
Bhuvneshwar, who is no longer a part of the Indian team, said that fast bowlers become aggressive when there is little help from the pitch. He said, “When there is no help on a flat wicket, the thinking becomes defensive, but this does not mean negative, rather the focus is on stopping runs and avoiding fours and sixes, especially against aggressive batsmen. But when there is little help in the air, the thinking becomes aggressive and one tries to take wickets.” He said, “If a little bit of luck favors you or the ball moves, the intention is to continuously attack and create chances, not just to stop runs.
effective partner
Bhuvneshwar said about his and Hazlewood’s excellent bowling that it is the result of paying attention to small things. He said, “A lot depends on preparation and understanding the situation. Planning, down to the smallest details, matters a lot, and having an experienced player like Josh Hazlewood helps because on-field communication makes it easier to adapt to the situation.
advantage of red ball length
Bhuvneshwar is considered a master of swing bowling and he attributed his success to red-ball cricket. He said, “Conditions and the ball definitely have an impact, but the most important are the basics, like wrist position, line-length control and alignment. For me, playing a lot of red-ball cricket has helped me master these things. This allows you to repeat your action again and again and perform consistently. When the ball swings, it is a big advantage for the bowlers and then one should use it as much as possible.”
