Daren Sammy Decodes How Kieron Pollard Uses The Crease To Smash Sixes
Updated - 02 Oct 2020, 02:16 PM
West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard has been a valuable player for Mumbai Indians in the IPL. He has played over 150 matches for Mumbai Indians and continues to serve them at the best of his ability. Kieron Pollard is a boon in the shortest format of the game as he can slog in the middle-order and also pick up wickets.
Daren Sammy, who has shared the West Indies dressing room with Kieron Pollard, decoded how the all-rounder uses the crease and goes about his business. Sammy said that players like Pollard and Russell take a step back deep in the crease and wait before smashing the deliveries for sixes. He also added that these techniques work for them on bouncier tracks as they don’t commit themselves early.
“Against the slow bowlers who change their pace, you didn’t want to commit. So I would deliberately keep my weight on the back foot. You can adjust better. When they bowl that slower ball, you are not committing early. If you look at Kieron Pollard or Andre Russell, you can see them take that step back deep in the crease and waiting,” Daren Sammy told The Indian Express.
“That’s something that works. On bouncier tracks too this technique can come useful. You don’t want to commit early on the front foot and be caught at gully or something. You don’t want to come too early and get hit on the splice of the bat or gloves. There you use the crease more, go back,” he added.
Pollard was adjudged the man-of-the-match in Mumbai Indians’ comfortable win over KXIP on Thursday. He scored 47 runs off 20 deliveries and forged a key partnership with Hardik Pandya which helped Mumbai Indians to reach 191/4 in the stipulated 20 overs. His knock also included four big sixes.
By the virtue of the victory, Mumbai Indians have brought their tournament back on track, and currently on top of the table with one extra match played. The Mumbai franchise have been the most successful in the IPL with four titles to his name.
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IPL IPL 2020 Kieron Pollard Mumbai Indians West Indies