IND vs SA | A high strike rate shows that you're an attacking bowler, says Keshav Maharaj
Coming in as South Africa's best spinner, Keshav Maharaj has said that he tries to keep a high strike rate to keep an attacking image in a bowling attack that's aced by the fast bowlers. Maharaj, however, highlights the importance of a world-class attack around him which enhances his spells.
Keshav Maharaj has been quite unaware of his world-class numbers, especially when it comes to his strike-rate, when compared with the best. Since his debut, 11 spinners have taken 50 or more Test wickets, and Maharaj has the second-best strike rate among them, just behind Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath. The 29-year-old, however, just believes in giving his best at every level.Â
"I'm trying to do the best I can, wherever I go in the world, whether it's international, domestic, club cricket or just some local Sunday league that you go play. I'm very fortunate and blessed to be able to do something I love and see other parts of the world, so if I can do well, I'll get many more opportunities to do that.
“The reason I brought up the strike rate was this tendency, maybe, to look at this South African attack and see all these fast bowlers and think they're the strike bowlers, and see you as doing the holding role, but your strike rate says you're an attacking bowler too,” Maharaj was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
The leg-spinner further goes on to say that the added advantage of having these world-class pacers adds to his spells and lets him settle him. "Yeah, but let's not forget, fact is that we have a wealth of fast bowlers and I'm fortunate enough to have such a world-class attack around me, and it allows me to settle in and things like that."
Unaware of the world-class nature of his numbers, Maharaj, however, knows when exactly he's bowling well irrespective of the outcome or the bowling figures.
"It's just the feel for me, I think. If I'm not bowling a cut ball or anything, then I know I'm in my rhythm and things are going okay, but as a spinner, I know it's just a feel thing. You'll have days when you're bowling well and it just doesn't go your way in terms of outcomes, but I judge myself basically on the fact that I must not bowl a cut ball during my spell. If I do that, I know how well [I've bowled], regardless of what it says in terms of figures," he added.
