CHENNAI: Former India player and noted coach S Sriram believes that spinners will call the shots in the ICC T20 World Cup. In sub-continental conditions wickets tend to help spinners as there are many day games too. So most teams have three to four spinning options in the squad and they are bound to play at least two. "I think as the tournament progresses we will get a fair idea of how the wickets behave at various venues. The Chepauk outfield has been newly laid and we will get a good picture once the New Zealand-Afghanistan game takes place. So we have to wait and watch," said Sriram.
India have four spinners in the squad with Washington Sundar still recovering from injury. Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel will do the heavy lifting early on before Sundar joins the team. "I think Varun has been one of the best in the world. And Axar gives you a lot of control. Varun is a wicket-taking option. Axar gives you control. They complement each other really well," the former Australia assistant coach explained. "He (Varun) is a very smart bowler. I think he has got a lot of variations. He is hard to pick from the hand. His arm action is quick. But his variations of pace are very good. He keeps hitting the stumps. He has got a terrific googly. So I think, very intelligent in the way he constructs his over as well," complimented Sriram before adding, "I think, the good thing about Varun is he can bowl anywhere. And that is a big plus.''
Australia have Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell, Cooper Connolly, Matt Kuhnemann as their spinning options. "Adam Zampa, I don't know whether he is fit. I don't know what his latest status is. But he is a terrific bowler, No doubt. Again, very skiddy, he keeps attacking the stumps. I think his greatest strength is his temperament. He is not afraid to bowl to anybody. I think his temperament is his greatest strength," said the CSK spin bowling coach. "The other spin options are okay. I think they have Cooper, they have Matt, Maxi (Glenn Maxwell) is also there. They will be okay,'' he added.
Sriram reserved high praise for Travis Head. "Travis Head is a tremendous player. Very dangerous. From the time he made his debut to now, he has come along, I mean, the ability to play shots all around the wicket, to take on the bowling from ball one, I think, he has developed. His confidence has grown. And his stature in international cricket has also grown," said Sriram.
Among the other spinners, Sriram felt Rashid Khan, Mitchell Santner and Adil Rashid will have an impact at the World Cup. "Mitch, I think, is a very intelligent bowler. His pace variation and his use of angles, how he uses his angles is terrific. I think he is more the modern version of Vettori. Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson, they are very good. Having somebody experienced like Adil is very good. He can even mentor the young spinners," Sriram said.
"Rashid Khan has all the variations. The question of how Afghanistan produces such quality spinners is due to a genetic factor. I think, genetically, they have very strong and broad fingers. So, I think they have got the role model in Rashid Khan and now Noor Ahmad. So, I think that's how they are able to produce a lot of spinners," added Sriram, insisting that India are favourites to lift the world cup.