Spring should have sprung up, and there could have been bright, windy, sunny days, with occasional passing showers, as the ICC T20 World Cup for men turned around. But, it hasn’t been that easy. The tournament has been played in similar weather conditions to Dunedin compared to Dandenong, except for a few days in Sydney. India have yet to rain a match, although they came dangerously close against Bangladesh at the Adelaide Oval.
It was not that easy for the other few semi-finalists, England and New Zealand. England shared points with Australia when their Melbourne clash washed out and New Zealand did the same against Afghanistan at the same venue.
And yet, both these teams have reached the last four while Australia are out of their party.
It has been a difficult time for all teams, as white-ball cricket is not played in Australia at this time of year. In fact, no one knows how the pitch will behave, or what the circumstances will do on any given day. When asked about how the experience was, R Ashwin said, “I thought I would have used up my entire sunscreen by now.” “It’s hit me. I generally like cold weather.
I have been to England and played a lot of cricket there, but it has been very unique and different.
“If you are playing a Test match, you can warm up throughout the day, but playing T20 in this season, not knowing how the surface will be, how it will react, what the weather is like, it has been a whole new experience. Is. ,
Ashwin thinks deeply about his cricket, be it batting or bowling and when he is stumped, you sit down and notice. “We have never been to Australia at this time of year. Generally, when it comes to sports, conditions are king. So, you need to understand that this is what is being presented to you, Ashwin explained.
He said, ‘T20 is a game where you need to adapt fast. You don’t have the time or bandwidth to be able to think, assess and deliver. The time period is too short.” India played all their games in the evening, Australia time, which is close to primetime in India, usually on the pitch where the first game took place.
While it makes sense that India’s matches are held in such a way that the ICC and broadcasters can maximize revenue, it also means that the circus is a journey.
“Some other teams have been able to stay and play there a couple of times, which the Indian team doesn’t have and that’s right,” Ashwin admitted.
“There are a lot of Indian people across the country who want to watch the game, so it’s understandable.”
So far in the tournament, Ashwin has often bowled brilliantly without the kind of numbers behind him that he would have liked. But, in what can be described as the turning point of his T20I career, the cunning officer has proved his mettle and shown that an old dog can learn new tricks if the attitude is right and the mind is open enough.
“As a bowler, you like to get wickets with bucketfuls, but when it comes to T20 cricket in a particular sport it may not be necessary,” says Ashwin.
“So, you may have to bowl an over for 8 or 9, and the next guy may end up taking a wicket. As far as I’m concerned it’s simple. That’s been my approach that has brought me success. ”
Ashwin has taken three wickets in four matches in this tournament and has gone for 8.15 runs per over, more than anyone except Arshdeep Singh. While the shrewd officer knows he can play a key role to win without registering the numbers, he is a proud man with a reputation to protect.
It won’t take much time for Ashwin to make a difference in a way that is obvious, but even if he doesn’t, Rohit Sharma, the captain and Rahul Dravid, the coach, will pay dividends on his investment under all circumstances. Odd time of year, against all comers.
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