IPL 2018 | T20 cricket suits our lifestyle, says Carlos Brathwaite
Carlos Brathwaite, who is yet to play a match in IPL 2018, claims that T20 is an expressive form of cricket, which makes the format suitable for their lifestyle. He also insisted that Windies players are not the only ones who have given preference to league cricket over national duties.
Windians can be called the soul of every T20 league and they make the contests more exciting everywhere they play. They have made their presence felt everywhere in the world. The 29-year-old all-rounder, who became an overnight hero for West Indies after winning them the 2016 World T20 final, insisted that the T20 format suited the nature of the Caribbean people.
“We are a naturally expressive people. T20 is a very expressive format. It’s for people seeking celebration. A relaxed lot basically, who wants to go out there and enjoy. It suits our lifestyle,” he said.
The Windies players have often been accused of giving preference to franchise cricket over national duty. Carlos Brathwaite felt that the players from the Carribean shouldn’t be the singled out as the same trend can
“It is something ICC needs to adjust. The West Indies players are not the only ones who have picked other leagues. We have seen some England players going for white-ball contracts and South Africans going for Kolpak. People need to accept it (the trend),” said Brathwaite.
White-ball contract is a type of contract that allows players to play franchise cricket even when their national team is playing Tests. England’s Adil Rashid and Alex Hales have signed a white-ball contract. Morne Morkel was the latest of the South African players’ choosing for Kolpak deal which allows a foreign player to play English county cricket after giving up his right to play for his country.
“International cricket is still the pinnacle and more often you will be judged on your exploits there. But at the end of the day, we are professionals who need to earn a living. Some cricketers will continue to play Tests, ODIs while others will play in franchise T20 Leagues. It’s very difficult to judge as you never know the family circumstances of a player,” added Brathwaite.
Braithwaite felt that the things have not been going his way, but he has been working hard to get his form back.
“The expectations have been difficult to live up to after that innings (34* off 10 balls in 2016 World T20 final). After the final, I had a good series against Australia and South Africa at home. I also had a half-century against India in a home Test. But after that, things started to go adrift and there was a drop in form. However, over the past one year, I have become more aware of my abilities. I am focusing on the basics to get back to form,” he said.
Braithwaite pointed out that SRH
“The quality of the squad is such that there is no guarantee for a place in the playing XI. We have some highly skilled foreign players like Rashid Khan, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammed Nabi, Chris Jordan, Alex Hales. It’s quite a competition. Tom (Moody) has expressed the need to rotate foreign players. So, I am continuing to train hard until my turn comes,” he said.