Kieron Pollard Is One Of The More Attacking Captains Around: Ian Bishop

Ian Bishop, former West Indies fast bowler-turned commentator, has hailed his compatriot and Mumbai Indians all-rounder, Kieron Pollard as one of the attacking T20 captains going around in the modern era.

Pollard, who captained the Mumbai Indians in absence of injured skipper Rohit Sharma, once again displayed his captaincy skills to the hilt with on-field bowling changes and tactics.

Sensing a hint of movement in the wicket, Kieron Pollard made the call to give the new ball to his ace bowler in Jasprit Bumrah, and the move worked brilliantly as Bumrah knocked over Ambati Rayudu and N Jagadeesan in his first six balls. And, according to Ian Bishop, the tactic perfectly summed up Kieron Pollard’s aggressive instincts as captain.

“His mindset is summed up by it. We have seen it in the Caribbean for a long time when he is captaining in T20 cricket. He is one of the more attacking captains around,” Ian Bishop said on ESPNCricinfo show ‘Time Out’

Bishop further recalled a CPL incident from the past, involving Kieron Pollard and his current coach, Mahela Jayawardene to further prove the formers’ credentials as an attacking captain.

”That same coach that he has in his dugout, Mahela Jayawardene, I remember a CPL game where Jayawardene came in to bat at Sabina Park in Jamaica and Pollard put himself at silly point. And, it wasn’t more than 2 deliveries where he snatched the ball in the air from under the chin of Jayawardene. That sums up Kieron Pollard’s philosophy. He is an all-out attacking captain and I think needs T20 that sort of leadership,” he added.

In the press-conference, Kieron Pollard explained why he handed the new ball to Jasprit Bumrah. According to the all-rounder, the fact that the pitch had something in it for the seamers and Ambati Rayudu’s past record against MI, persuaded him to turn to his ace bowler.

”’We wanted to set the tone really really early as a bowling unit and we did that. Opening with our two main bowlers, obviously we weren’t thinking of Jasprit with the new ball but after that over from Trent Boult and getting that early wicket, Rayudu too has batted well against us in the past, just decided to go for him (Bumrah) and it worked,” Kieron Pollard said during the post-match press conference.

“We were thinking Trent opening the bowling and then go Nathan (Coulter-Nile) or a spinner but with a couple of balls swinging, getting an early wicket and Rayudu coming in, we had to go to our most experienced bowler,” Pollard added.

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