T20 is not just about slogging, says http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Brad-Hodge-c1184 – Cricket News Update
Brad Hodge, the discarded Australian batsman, feels that T20 cricket has developed over the years and therefore a modern-day batter needs to be technically equipped in order to prevail in the game’s shortest format.
The T20 version was introduced at the international level in 2004, which eventually changed the global sport’s scenario and challenged the popularity of One Day International (ODI) cricket.
The sport witnessed another revolution with the emergence of franchise cricket in 2008, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) taking the T20s to another level.
Initially, it was thought to be a slogger’s game, taking into account the short span for a player to make a significant impact. However, in Hodge’s opinion, the batsmen have realised over the years that they have to plan their innings properly if they want
to be successful against quality bowling attacks.
The 37-year-old cricketer expressed that shot-selection is the key for present-day T20 players.
“There is no wild slogging now, as in earlier years. There is a technical side to it now. When T20 first came, batsmen slogged across the line, over the midwicket fence, and they got out by hitting cross-batted strokes over midwicket,”
said the middle-order batsman. “Now there are different methods, where batsmen look to hit sixes in different areas - going inside-out over extra cover or just presenting a straight bat.”
The right-hander is considered to be one of the world’s most experienced T20 batsmen, with 158 matches. The Victorian has represented a number of teams all around the globe and has scored 4500 runs in the format, with an impressive
average of 35.43 runs per innings, including a couple of thundering centuries.
Hodge believes that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AB-de-Villiers-c887 are two of the most dangerous T20 batsmen in the world, which proves that the sport’s shortest version is not just about power-hitting.
“Take Virat Kohli and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Allan-Robert-Border-c43726 de Villiers, to name two: they are not huge hitters of the ball, but they are just as dangerous,” he added.
The stylish batsman was talking to ESPNcricinfo with special reference to the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758.
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