Worked on my 'googly' to be quicker and more accurate, asserts Poonam Yadav
Poonam Yadav, whose dipping leg-breaks and deceptive googlies foxed many a batter in the recently-concluded Women's T20 World Cup, has said that she wanted her googly to be quicker and more accurate and worked on the same. The 28-year-old from Agra was India's top wicket-taker with 10 scalps.
India’s spin sensation Poonam Yadav was the second-most prolific bowler in the Women's T20 World Cup and finished the tournament with 10 wickets from 5 matches, including a 4-wicket haul in the opener against Australia. In a telephone interview, Yadav explains how she worked on her googly and the adversities she faced on her way to being an international cricketer. On being asked about how she goes about her practise and her training in this difficult times of the coronavirus widespread she said she skip ropes, work with loop bands.
“I am working on my fitness at home because the stadium and the gymnasium are shut. I skip ropes, work with loop bands, do other exercises,” said Yadav, reported The Times Of India.
Poonam’s googlies foxed the Australians (4/19) in the opening game of the T20 World Cup. Yadav also scalped one wicket in the final in which India lost giving away 30 runs. Yadav said she was concerned that Australia could read and hit her and so she wanted her googly to be quicker and more accurate.
“I have been working on the googly for three-four years. I first tried it out against Sri Lanka in 2017. Australia is a very good side. They read the bowlers well. I was concerned that they could read and hit me. I wanted the googly to be quicker and more accurate. I worked on these aspects. Earlier a batter got more time to play my deliveries on the backfoot,” expressed Yadav.
Poonam Yadav was the only Indian who has made it to the Women's T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament which the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced. However, Yadav did not play in the tri-series just before the World Cup. On being asked about that she said that she had an injured index finger and so she couldn’t play.
“I had injured the index finger of my left hand. During that time, I worked on my skills. I saw the videos of England and Australia players. When I practice, I have a plan in mind every day. For instance, I only bowl googly one day. Similarly, I aim at a particular stump on a certain day. The idea is to keep improving day by day, be perfect in what you do,” she added.
