NAGPUR: It was January 22. After more than two months in India, a span that included an embarrassing 4-0 loss in the Test series and then seeing the ODI series slip away, England were in danger of slipping into further dismay.
But on a balmy night in Kolkata, Eoin Morgan & Co finally found some cheer, winning the last ODI by a narrow 5 runs. Then came the victory in the opening T20 match in Kanpur, one skipper Morgan called “a pretty complete performance”. And now, the mood in the visiting camp is one of confidence and renewed hope.
The common factor in both wins was the way England’s bowlers went about their death bowling, while also setting plans for each Indian batsman. In Kanpur, the bowlers were able to cramp India’s hitters with wide yorkers, and Chris Jordan, one of the stars of that win, talked about the role of variations.
“In T20s, it’s important not to just bowl fast. The more the variations the better, and that just doesn’t mean varying your line and length, or pace.
That’s where the plan of wide yorkers comes into play. Obviously, most batsmen want the ball in their arc, and if you bowl on the stumps, that’s playing to their strengths. Bowling a wide yorker is a skill in itself, and wide yorkers are even more difficult to get away. I just wanted to take the ball away from the batsman’s eye level, since that means batsmen have to reach out to make contact. Getting it successful buys you some dots, and that buys your team some more runs, along with pressure on the opponents,” said the all-rounder.
In an era when more and more rule changes are favouring batsmen, it comes down to which team’s bowlers can manage pressure better, and concede lesser boundaries. This series, too, may well be decided by the parsimony of bowlers. The second game, to be held at the VCA Stadium here on Sunday, will likely see spin play a major role, as will the bigger dimensions of the field.
India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who was one of the better performers from the first game, wants to keep it simple. “I just want to bowl stump-to-stump, and to the situation. It also depends on the kind of wicket, and the size of the ground. Luckily, the ground here is quite big, so I can flight the ball a bit more,” noted the Haryana player.
Jordan also believed that bowlers have to keep a clear mindset in T20s, especially in India. “Batsmen are constantly trying to hit you out of the ground, so it’s important that you try and slow down the game.”
A batsmen’s game it may be, but the evolution of bowlers is what keeps the sport interesting.
raviiyer@newindianexpress.com