Lack of manoeuvrability has been the real issue now, believes Hemang Badani
Hemang Badani has opined that the T20 format has led to the lack of skill of manoeuvring the ball into the gaps or playing with soft hands which have become an issue for the modern-day cricketers. Badani has also added that red soil pitches aren’t tough to bat on but test the temperament of players.
The Super League phase of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has been quite a roller coaster ride, while teams have failed to notch up competitive totals on board. On the other hand, huge totals have been toyed with on many occasions. The pitches in Surat, where the competition is being played, has played a major role for the inconsistency in the scoring pattern.
While the red soil pitches have been a nightmare for batters, their black soil counterparts have been a heaven for them. Red soil pitches have offered a great deal of spin and uneven bounce, much like a Test match pitch, to make life of batsmen and pacers, who were left guarding the boundaries, difficult.
Commentator Hemang Badani, who oversaw most of the tournament, opined that black soil pitches test the temperament of the players.
"Yes, the surfaces aren't great, but even if these are the ones available, batsmen should have the skillsets to counter it. With a better approach, you could've scored 130-135 on the same surfaces," Badani told ESPNCricinfo.
The red soil pitches not only troubled the rookies but big names of the domestic circuit also faltered on the docile surfaces. Badani believes that too much focus on hitting the long ball has led to a steady decline in the skill of players to play with delicate hands and manoeuvre the gaps, which could have helped them tame the tough red soil surfaces.
"It's the lack of manoeuvrability that is the issue," the former India batsman explained. "As batsmen, the game has moved on. T20 has evolved to a power-hitting game. Even at the nets, batsmen do a lot of range hitting, and while they've gotten better at hitting the big sixes, batsmen at large aren't really adept at milking the ball into the gaps, like say stepping out and easing it to cover, or staying back and tapping to point. Invariably when batsmen step out, they're looking to clear the ropes. Part of the reason for the succession of low scores lies in their own techniques.
"They're hitting the long ball, but I've seen a drop in skill levels when it comes to nudging the ball, playing spin late. In our days, we were punished for hitting the ball in the air, so we had to have other skill sets, like using your feet to get to the pitch and take singles, or using your feet just to disturb their lengths. Yes, rarely will you find surfaces as challenging as these, but the shot-selection aspect could've been better too. As a batsman, you either wait for the ball to turn and play late."
