‘WI don’t know how to rotate strike against spinners’
24 March 2014 4:27 AM IST
Asked about the threat the explosive opening pair of Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith could pose, Raina said, ‘West Indies will be a totally different team as they have a lot of players who can hit sixes but they don’t have an idea about how to rotate the strike against spinners by taking singles and twos. ‘Therefore, the more pressure we put on the bigger players, better it will be for us.’
The in-form left hander said that Amit Mishra’s bowling will again be key while countering the likes of Gayle, Smith and Samuels. ‘We have Mishra, who has done well in the last match. Ashwin has also bowled well and Jadeja is doing well too. But T20 is dependant on who is better on that particular day.
‘Also depends on what you intend to do after winning the toss. Spinners will be key in this contest. Especially in the manner, we bowled against Pakistan, which plays spin really well.’
Elaborating on the role of tweakers, Raina said that overs 7-11 will be key against the slower bowlers. ‘About facing spinners, it’s not that there is great turn (on this track) but some turn available. While shaping up for a shot, you need to come under the ball. ‘Your thought-process should be clear. If you think you want to hit it then you should go ahead and if you decide against it then be it. Between 7 to 11 overs, is the time when you need to rotate the strike well. If you get even one loose ball, if you can convert it into fours and sixes, then it’s good.’
If we can only hit sixes, stop us then, says Sammy
MIRPUR: West Indies captain Darren Sammy wasn’t amused when he heard that Suresh Raina has dubbed his batsmen as ‘six hitters’ and dared the Indian bowlers to stop them from hitting the maximums when they clash in the World T20 here Sunday. ‘We don’t care much about what Raina thinks. If he thinks we are only six hitters, then stop us from hitting sixes,’ Sammy replied when asked about his batsmen inability to rotate strike against spinners. What’s there on Chris Gayle’s mind, asked a scribe. ‘I am not Jesus Christ! I don’t know what’s going on in his mind. But I know he (Gayle) is really pumped up to play here. Whenever he is playing for the West Indies, he is very pumped up,’ he added.
The in-form left hander said that Amit Mishra’s bowling will again be key while countering the likes of Gayle, Smith and Samuels. ‘We have Mishra, who has done well in the last match. Ashwin has also bowled well and Jadeja is doing well too. But T20 is dependant on who is better on that particular day.
‘Also depends on what you intend to do after winning the toss. Spinners will be key in this contest. Especially in the manner, we bowled against Pakistan, which plays spin really well.’
Elaborating on the role of tweakers, Raina said that overs 7-11 will be key against the slower bowlers. ‘About facing spinners, it’s not that there is great turn (on this track) but some turn available. While shaping up for a shot, you need to come under the ball. ‘Your thought-process should be clear. If you think you want to hit it then you should go ahead and if you decide against it then be it. Between 7 to 11 overs, is the time when you need to rotate the strike well. If you get even one loose ball, if you can convert it into fours and sixes, then it’s good.’
If we can only hit sixes, stop us then, says Sammy
MIRPUR: West Indies captain Darren Sammy wasn’t amused when he heard that Suresh Raina has dubbed his batsmen as ‘six hitters’ and dared the Indian bowlers to stop them from hitting the maximums when they clash in the World T20 here Sunday. ‘We don’t care much about what Raina thinks. If he thinks we are only six hitters, then stop us from hitting sixes,’ Sammy replied when asked about his batsmen inability to rotate strike against spinners. What’s there on Chris Gayle’s mind, asked a scribe. ‘I am not Jesus Christ! I don’t know what’s going on in his mind. But I know he (Gayle) is really pumped up to play here. Whenever he is playing for the West Indies, he is very pumped up,’ he added.
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