Having an aggressive intent, a strong structure to play high-risk game, learning to manage risk are some of the key aspects that renowned T20 power-hitting coach Julian Wood has suggested for Pakistan, which has been struggling to keep pace with the changing nature of the format. After Pakistan came up with another listless display with the bat against India, there have been plenty of questions about their approach even from their former players with many pointing out how they appeared clueless when it came down to taking down the Indian spinners.
For a team that made successive finals wshen the T20 World Cup came into picture, and played the T20 World Cup final in 2022, they have been perennial strugglers in white-ball since then, failing to make the knockouts in ICC events. Even in successive Asia Cup tournaments in 50-overs as well as T20, they have appeared far behind India.
Wood, who has travelled worldwide as a specialist T20 coach, acknowledged that Pakistan are better placed that Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, but still have issues to address.
“They are more aggressive anyway. Their characters are more aggressive. So they have that aggressive intent. With them it is the just the lack of understanding. I think it is lack of knowledge on how to assess and having a framework or structure, in their attack. There needs to be a game plan. I’m sure they have plans. I’m sure they sit down and say, ‘right, this is how we’re going to play’. But it’s having that understanding how to do it,” Wood told The Indian Express.
With teams embracing a high-risk approach in search of big totals in excess of 200, the run-rate has gradually picked up in recent times. For instance, since the start of January 2021, India have been scoring at 9.15 runs per over – the highest for any team – and have an incredible win-loss ration of 3.115. England are up next, scoring at exactly 9 an over with Australia at third (8.94). Pakistan, on the other hand, going at 8.14 runs per over are 14th on the list with some of the Associates like Nepal and Canada above them.
“It’s basically managing risk. You need them to embrace the risk and there is a method to it. You have to keep adapting the game depending on the conditions and the attack. You have to adapt throughout the game. You can’t just play one way,” Wood says.
Apart from searching for the big hits, their middle-order showed no signs of putting pressure by keeping the scoreboard ticking with singles and twos. “You can’t just bat sort of one way,” Wood says. “When you do that, you are guessing you will be successful. And you won’t be consistent with that. Most teams tend to slow down in the middle. But the bowlers will continue to give bad balls and I will again go back to the mindset. If you hit two boundaries and play four dots or one boundary and hit five singles, that’s no risk. There is no risk there at all. You are very one-paced. The idea has to be to keep accelerating. It is a habit that takes time. India is a good case in point now,” Wood adds.
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Wood on Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
Just before the Asia Cup, Wood was summoned by both the teams to improve on their power-hitting skillset, as this season also includes a T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh happen to be far behind Pakistan when it comes to keeping pace with the demands of T20. Sri Lanka (7.68) and Bangladesh (7.44) reflect a wider trend in their system which lacks power-hitters and batsmen who can take bold risks.
“They rely heavily on rhythm, timing of their movements. So what I did with them was just basically looked at how they can access more power. The Sri Lankans, I think, are in a better position than the Bangladeshis. I think mindset comes into it a lot. If you look at it, you need everybody to be in the same mindset. The message has to be consistent throughout. If that’s not, then you get fearful cricket. Players playing fearful cricket is the last thing you need. It’s about having an aggressive intent. You won’t hit every ball. But you have to put something back on the bowlers. You can’t let them dictate.” Wood says.
This lack of aggressive intent has also had a ripple effect. While batsmen, including ones from Afghanistan pile their trade in domestic T20 leagues and gain experience, batsmen from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been missing out on that as well. “As a cricketer you have to see where the game’s going. And you’ve got to evolve with the game. Else, you get left behind and that’s what is happening with them in franchise cricket. If you want to evolve your game, then you put yourself in a position where you get selected for these tournaments. I think that Afghanistan seems to use these opportunities a lot,” Wood says.
Pointing out to the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Dewald Brevis and Tim David, Wood says the top teams have already found batsmen who have taken T20 cricket to the next stage and it is pertinent that the rest find such talents. “India have been phenomenal in the last 12 months. You look at their players, Abhishek for me is just phenomenal. There is a new breed of batsmen coming through like Abhishek Sharma, Dewald Brevis and Tim David. They strike at over 180, 200. Tim and Brevis were looked at as finishers, but that is changing now and they are batting higher because teams are seeing their potential. They are all destructive batsmen. So the other teams need to identify similar players or else they are going to be left behind further.”
