As T20 cricket continues to be a batsmen’s game, many skippers are trying to check the flow of runs at the start of an innings by opening the bowling with spinners.
The spinner can be a viable option as the slower ball doesn’t come onto the bat and the batsman has to use the power in playing strokes, which can be fatal. This is a situation in contrast to what the opening batsmen like — the ball coming onto the bat for conducive strokelay. But, bowling with flight and loop can go two-ways — either it will pick wickets or it will be smacked for runs. And, it’s worth a gamble given that in the shorter version of the game, the difference between winning and losing is also shorter and wicket is crucial.
Another benefit is that a spinner earlier on tries to maintain line and length which can stem the flow of runs. That is equal to taking wickets, feels Rajasthan Royals’ off-spinner Ajit Chandila.
In the game against Kings XI Punjab on Sunday night, skipper Rahul Dravid threw the new ball to Chandila and the off-spinner reposed the captain’s faith by giving away only a run in the first over. Chandila was effective as he not only conceded only 14 runs in his full quota of four overs. The pressure created worked for Royals’ pacer S Sreesanth as the batsmen duo of Adam Gilchrist and Mandeep Singh lost out of patience and gave their wickets away to Sreesanth.
“It was a good performance from me. I feel if you give away 18-20 runs in four overs, it is like taking two wickets and you have done your work. At the start, the batsmen are in the mood to hit you out of the park so not giving enough space for scoring is important. You have to bowl a line which will keep the batsman in control. My role in this team is to check the flow of runs and if I do that I am satisfied. If you keep a batsman in check, he will try you to hit in the next couple of balls and then you will have a chance to pick wickets,” Chandila, who plays for Haryana in domestic cricket, told The Pioneer at his team hotel.
And now he faces a big challenge, one in the form of present IPl table-toppers Mumbai Indians, Chandila, though, is excited at the prospect of bowling the first over to Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting. “They have big names as openers — Tendulkar and Ponting. I am excited at the fact that I may bowl at them. I am planning how not to leak runs against them,” 30-year old Chandila said adding that his immediate aim is to help the Royals win the ongoing T20 championship and ultimate ambition is to represent the country.
Opening with a spinner is slowly becoming a trend and Chandila feels that his bowling suits the situation although one has to practice hard as getting the grip of the new ball is not easy for a spinner.
“It is important that you watch the batsman’s steps and eyes and find out as to what he is trying to do. I like to take up the challenge with the new ball. It is not easy to bowl in the opening overs. I practice it a lot with the new ball at the nets. Another helpful thing for me is that I release the ball quite late. I change my grip at the point of delivery which keeps the batsmen guessing. For this, even Rahul Bhai (Rahul Dravid) has complemented me saying that he has faced a lot of spinners throughout the world, but my changing the grip of the ball late is rare. Rahul bhai backs me well and so does the support staff,” the Faridabad-lad said while crediting his confidence to a good domestic season.
“I had a very good domestic season in the T20s and ODIs. If you do well there, the confidence goes up and this year I am more confident with my bowling,” Chandila, who had came into limelight by taking a hat-trick against the Pune Warriors India in 2012, explained.
Chandila says Narendra Hirwani and Pankaj Thakur have helped him a lot in his career.