Players must manage workload to be World Cup ready: Piyush
KOLKATA: At its most intense, T20 can make the 50-over game seem like cricket on barbiturates, but such is the quality of competit i on i n t he I ndian Premier Le a g ue ( I PL) t hat Pi y us h Chawla said it will not hinder preparations for the World Cup.
“IPL is one of the biggest leagues happening in the world right now… It is as good as international cricket. So, I see this as a very good preparatory thing. I know the formats are different but even in 20 overs you need a lot of skills if you want to false (sic) (outwit) the batsman as a spinner,” said the member of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad here on Monday.
Only 30, Chawla may be a legspinner whose international career has nosedived -- his last ODI was on March 9, 2011 and he hasn’t played a Test since his third in December 2012. But he comes off a good domestic T20 meet.
He goes into his 12th IPL season having bowled in the power play, being fifth on the list of dot balls at 1020, and is the competition’s third highest wickettaker (140).
PLAYING MENTOR
Chawla has also mentored chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav – his teammate at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since 2014 -- who seems an obvious choice for the World Cup. “Kuldeep is not a mystery spinner; to me mystery spinner is a myth. He is a skilful bowler who has worked on his skills. He has a big heart and is not afraid of getting hit. That is the biggest quality of a spinner,” said Chawla.
SMART PLAY
Asked how Kuldeep’s workload should be managed in the light of India skipper Virat Kohli urging those in the World Cup reckoning to be wary of doing anything that might hamper India at the World Cup, Chawla said: “We are professional cricketers. Somehow you have to manage things on your on, you know how your body is going to react. They know when to play and when to take a break.”
KKR have also signed legspinner KC Cariappa along with medium-pacer Sandeep Warrier, after young fast bowlers Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti got injured.
“Everyone gets hit but the market for a leg-spinner is good because he can also take wickets…the way he (Cariappa) has bowled in the Mushtaq Ali (T20 event)…he is a much improved bowler.”
In three IPL seasons, beginning with KKR in 2015 and followed by two at Kings XI Punjab, Cariappa has played 10 matches and taken eight wickets.
POTENT SPIN ATTACK
Chawla said KKR have one of the best spin bowling units in the competition --- West Indies ace Sunil Narine is also in the team -- but accepted that the Indian pace-bowling group is thin on experience.
In Warrier, who has played 40 T20 games, and Prasidh Krishna, who has played 17, they have to trust. “It is tough to cover all departments all the time but the combination we go in with looks pretty solid,” he said.
Somehow you have to manage things on your on, you know how your body is going to react. They know when to play and when to take a break.
PIYUSH CHAWLA, On players’ workload