Getting a grip
New York, June 13
He is wreaking havoc with the ball these days but India pacer Arshdeep Singh is not quite satisfied and wants to become a reliable lower-order batter as well, for which he is putting in the hard yards with batting coach Vikram Rathour.
I was struggling with my form and focusing on my process. Obviously I miss six-hitting at CSK and in India…it’s difficult to bat here in these conditions and in the nets as well. It is definitely better to bowl here. I think that these conditions do not demand what I’ve done at CSK. These conditions require a different approach. Shivam Dube on his batting struggles
Arshdeep was lethal in India’s seven-wicket win over the plucky USA team as he snared four wickets for a mere nine runs in the T20 World Cup group stage match on Wednesday. It was India’s third successive victory which guided the side into the Super Eight stage.
“We are always learning, always trying to get better at all the skills, be it bowling, batting, or fielding, because you never know when the team needs those runs,” Arshdeep, who was adjudged the Player of the Match, said in the post-game media interaction.
“It can be two runs, four runs, anything. So, you just have to give your best. And I am trying to work as hard as possible with Vikram Bhai regarding my batting as well,” he added.
Arshdeep came in at No. 9 in the high-voltage game against Pakistan here on June 9, scoring nine off 13 balls before being run out. The left-arm pacer said he insisted on going ahead of Jasprit Bumrah in that match.
“…Jassi Bhai (Bumrah) was supposed to go before me, but I just went in after asking Rohit (Sharma). They were surprised with it, but I told them I will go up regardless of whatever you say,” he revealed. “I will go at nine because I faced the quickest bowlers in the last game. So yeah, that’s the plan now. I am very confident about my batting. And be it fielding or bowling, you just try to keep getting better,” he said.
Dube’s batting woes
Accustomed to batting on belters in India, big-hitting all-rounder Shivam Dube conceded that the two-paced tracks for the T20 World Cup matches here left him bamboozled to such an extent that it almost felt like playing a Ranji Trophy game.
Dube regained some form with a 35-ball 31 in the win over USA. “I was struggling with my form and focusing on my process,” Dube said about his successive failures against Ireland and Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium here.
“All the support staff and coaches backed me and told me, ‘It’s difficult, but you have the ability to hit sixes, so apply it.’ I’ve never doubted myself for what I’ve done in the past. I just think that these conditions do not demand what I’ve done at CSK. These conditions require a different approach, so I was batting differently today,” he added.
From being nine off 15 balls against USA, Dube finally managed to connect with an 87-metre six off Corey Anderson in the 15th over.
“It felt like (playing) Ranji Trophy. I don’t think in white-ball,” joked Dube about his wait for a six.
“Conditions dictate how you want to play here. You have to choose your best shot to hit a six. And, I was waiting for that opportunity. It’s not easy to come here and start hitting from ball one; you have to take your time,” he admitted.
Dube still has a long way to go before truly justifying his selection ahead of another power-hitter Rinku Singh, who is in the reserves. After being named in India’s main World Cup squad, Dube managed just 36 runs from five innings in the IPL. His woes continued in the World Cup, where he scored 14 (practice match against Bangladesh), 0 not out, and 3 in three outings before finally delivering a composed knock on Wednesday.
