We have no say in doping issue: Bhuvi
Kanpur, Oct. 28: With the series tied at 1-1, New Zealand are more excited than tense at the prospect of winning their maiden ODI series in India, said pacer Tim Southee.
New Zealand came close to winning the series last year before going down 2-3 and now they have another shot at beating the formidable Indians in their own backyard. “No pressure, it’s more Kanpur, Oct. 28: In-form India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar says not losing the ability to swing the ball despite adding extra pace to his armoury has made him a much better bowler than what he was two years ago.
Kumar, along with Jasprit Bumrah, has formed a potent new ball combination in the limited overs cricket for India. They are also an asset for the team in the death overs with their perfectly placed yorkers and other variations. And their coming of age has not gone unnoticed with skipper Virat Kohli praising them highly after the series leveling win against New Zealand in Pune on Wednesday.
However, maintaining the balance between swing and pace was not easy for Kumar, who suddenly lost his natural ability to move the ball after adding extra excitement I would say. There was an air of excitement around the guys today at training. Obviously, we feel freshened up after the day off. The series is on the line,” said Southee.
“That’s what we play for and like I said, good sides have come here and walked away empty handed. I guess it'll be nice to seal the series here. But India are a tough team in their own conditions pace. Now he has got his mojo back, courtesy India bowling coach Bharat Arun. “He is somebody who manages bowlers really well. At this level you don’t want to get too much into the technique. He sometimes pinpoints certain things which can really improve your bowling. For example, I increased my pace but I lost my swing. I did not know how to go about it. So he shared some fine points that helped me get my swing back. His role in the team is invaluable,” said Kumar.
Asked about his views on Wada (World Anti-Doping Agency) threat on derecognising Nada (National AntiDoping Agency) if BCCI refuses to come under its purview, Kumar refused to get into the controversy. “We have no say in the matter. It is up to the ICC and BCCI to decide. We will follow their instructions.” as they have shown that over a while,” he added.
The cooler weather means conditions here are different to what teams faced in Mumbai and Pune, and Southee said his team would have to adapt quickly. “The beauty of a series is as it goes on it’s the same for both teams. You get more information about the opposition and there’s information going out there as well.”