"At what time, what bad ball you bowl can also be very effective in T20" - Ravichandran Ashwin

Team India and Delhi Capitals (DC) off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has opined that T20 cricket has become more about luck and less about skill for bowlers. According to the Tamil Nadu cricketer, good balls in T20s get smashed around while bad balls end up claiming wickets.

With the emergence of T20 and rules becoming increasingly in favor of the batsmen, bowlers have had it tough in the shorter formats of the game.

In a discussion on his YouTube show DRS with Ash, Ravichandran Ashwin shared his thoughts on bowling in the T20 format with former spinner Murali Kartik. In a light vein, Ashwin said:

“At what time, what bad ball you choose to bowl can also be very effective in T20.”

Elaborating his views with an example, Ravichandran Ashwin revealed how he got Manish Pandey out with a long hop. He recalled:

“I guess it was during my last game for Punjab Kings against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The wicket was very flat. So, I had a deep cover and long-off and bowled wide outside-off skidding balls. He had to reach for it, played his cuts and got some singles. But after that, he came outside off-stump. He stood on the line of off-stump so that he gets close to the ball. So, I bowled a poor, short delivery outside leg-stump. He had to reach for it thinking it will hit leg-stump and got caught at short fine-leg.

“That evening I thought how the ended up getting a wicket with a poor delivery. But the fact of the matter is, T20 cricket has come to that stage. It’s all about what option you choose from the buffet. Once (Kieron) Pollard mistimed twice and both the times, it just cleared the boundary-line fielder. Then I came and bowled a short ball. All he could do was score a single to short fine-leg. I couldn’t believe myself. That’s how far the game has evolved.”

Wonderful chat with @kartikmurali on spirit of cricket, spin bowling and much more. Pardon the Internet connection speed that blurs my face out a few times 😂😂https://t.co/Vtx1vohux5 https://t.co/jETVYFtdGg

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Murali Kartik backs Ravichandran Ashwin’s views on T20 bowling

Reacting to Ravichandran Ashwin’s analysis on T20 bowling, Kartik too admitted that bad balls often end up getting wickets as opposed to good ones. He stated:

“100 percent, in T20s, sometimes you good balls get smashed into the stands. On the other hand, your poor deliveries end up getting caught at mid-wicket, square leg or short fine-leg.”

The former cricketer added that a smart T20 bowler knows which ball to bowl at the right time. He explained:

“In T20, it’s the art of knowing what ball to bowl to what batsman at what time. Say, when (Matthew) Hayden is facing the first ball, you can flight. But when you flight it to him after you have bowled five-six balls, he will smash you.”

Kartik and Ravichandran Ashwin also exchanged views on Mankading and playing county cricket during the discussion.

Ashwin will be seen in action during India’s Test tour of England, which begins with the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand next month.