Wrist spinners, mystery bowlers and power-hitters: The future of T20 cricket
Renowned coach Andy Flower talks about ways to adapt to challenges in modern game
Dubai: Twenty20 has evolved over the last decade and a half. Batters and bowlers continue to innovate, striving to outplay each other and gain a winning edge. While bowlers have developed variations to withstand pressure, batters’ innovative shots and power-hitting have made it even harder for bowlers — who have traditionally been on the back foot in white-ball cricket, especially in the shortest format.
Bowlers rely on slower deliveries, cutters, slow bouncers, carom balls, and yorkers to keep batters guessing, aiming to slow the run flow and take wickets. Unpredictability has become the key weapon for bowlers.
So, what’s next for bowlers seeking to regain the upper hand?
“Either wrist spinners or mystery bowlers are absolutely crucial; you’ve got to have one of them in your playing XI. I think there will also be a greater emphasis on bowlers with slightly different actions that are more difficult to pick up,” said veteran coach Andy Flower, who leads the Gulf Giants in the DP World ILT20 League, speaking to Gulf News.
“So you might see a shift away from the classical and clean actions and into either more slingy actions like Malinga’s or awkward actions where the batsman only gets a last-minute look at the ball before it’s released.”
Mystery spin: A weapon for the modern game
India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy took 12 wickets against South Africa in the recent T20 series, including a five-wicket haul in the third match — though it was in a losing cause. The 33-year-old architect set a record, surpassing fellow Tamil Nadu off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi as the top wicket-taker in a bilateral series.
“The last two matches have been challenging because of the small boundaries. Even though a few sixes were hit, one mis-shot could get us a wicket,” Chakravarthy said after India clinched the series 3-1. “More than confidence, I’d say I’m focusing more on clarity. That’s helping me more right now. Sometimes I feel confidence can lead me into a wrong direction and make me believe that I can do something impossible, so I feel focusing on clarity is better. All I want is to have a longer run with the Indian Cricket Team and hopefully I can do it well,” he expressed.
Afghanistan’s mystery spinner Ghazanfar has claimed 18 wickets in his last 10 matches in white-ball cricket, including a six-wicket haul against Bangladesh in Sharjah — the venue’s 300th international match.
Indian ace Jasprit Bumrah has consistently troubled batters across all formats with his unconventional bowling action, which catches them off-guard.
Power-hitting and innovation: Key for batters
To counter these bowling challenges, former Zimbabwe captain Flower suggests that batters need to focus on strong power-hitting skills.
“Power is important in batting. They need to grow up with the freedom to play big shots, which is important in their development along with their physicality. Obviously, innovation is critical, which will give access to different areas of the ground,” the 56-year-old former England coach added.
A platform for UAE’s rising talent
The head coach of the Gulf Giants, who won the inaugural DP World ILT20 League, believes the UAE has immense potential and hopes to see more than the stipulated two local players in the playing XI of the franchise league.
“The DP World ILT20 is brilliant for cricket in the UAE, and some of the guys get excellent exposure playing with the best in the world during the tournament. I expect the upcoming DP World ILT20 Season 3 to maintain the same high standard, providing great exposure for UAE players,” he said.
“Watching the players compete in a highly competitive tournament is a great experience and a motivator for me as well. A tournament like this is crucial for the growth of cricket in the UAE.”
Flower also compared the UAE’s potential with the USA’s rapid progress in international cricket. The Associate Nation surprised many at the recent T20 World Cup, co-hosted in the West Indies and USA, by upsetting Pakistan and giving eventual champions India a scare in the league phase.
“We have just seen a very apt example in the USA, and their growth as a team suggests there is potential for something similar here, or even more. Currently, the DP World ILT20 requires two UAE players per playing XI, but I hope that number will increase in the future, allowing for greater experience and, crucially, confidence. Tournaments like the DP World ILT20 are where you start to realise that international players are not invincible.”