Time to play country music

Published>Sat, May 01 10 11:38 AM

India, April 29 -- The ICC World T20 starts exactly as it did last year, a few days after another superb IPL season. It now remains to be seen if those who excelled for their franchises are able to do so for their countries too. It happens in football where after a season with the club, international players are not able to reproduce the same form for their country. It could well be that the time to group together and being part of a team is too short, and thus the intensity that is displayed playing for the franchise is not there. Spending time off the field is as important as on it, for it's here that players understand each other and know what makes one tick and how they react to different situations. This is where team spirit is built or destroyed and this is where a good coach comes in. He can make the players aware of their duties towards the team, country and fans. There is talk of tiredness, but it is not as big a factor as the mental aspect. Players train to play round the clock, so physically that is not a problem. It is about feeling the same excitement that they do for the franchises. This is where the fatigue aspect kicks in. It was seen in the last World T20 that many of the players went through the motions and were not at their sharpest. The ones who want to be recognised will give it the big effort as they do in every game. Those whose ambitions are lower will be the disappointments. The high-powered matches in the IPL will stand the players in good stead and they will know how to react to crisis situations. Those who didn't play in the event will not be a factor because the format is so quick that there is no big advantage. Players know how to pace themselves and whatever the format, experience comes into play. The format is such that no team can be called favourites. The match can turn in a matter of deliveries and retrieving the game takes a special effort. Most teams' tactics will revolve around not giving the batsmen too much pace off the pitch, particularly on the small West Indian grounds.

It is anybody's title. Hopefully, it will be won off the last ball of the tournament.

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