My quick arm action hard for the batsmen to pick - Rashid Khan
In IPL 2019, Rashid Khan has just two wickets to show for in three games. And while he hasn't been expensive - giving away less than seven runs in each of the three games - Rashid's role since 2017 has been to make key strikes. The Sunrisers Hyderabad legspinner understands the teams are studying him more and more but stresses he's developing new deliveries to ensure he's a step ahead.
"That's how cricket is. Everyone will start studying you, start watching your videos again and again and they'll have something different in their mind. Right now I am focusing on the right things I've done in the past. I have been working in the nets different legspinners, and every grip is giving me different results," he tells Cricbuzz. "Even the wrong one, when I am holding it with a different grip, it gives me different results. Some bounce more or some just turn a lot. I am just trying to take advantage of my speed and my quick arm action.
"Since now we have Test cricket, I need to improve those skills as well. I am working on 5 or 6 different legspinners. I don't have full control over it just yet. I can bowl them well in the nets but can't in the match. My action is really quick and it's tough for the batsmen to pick me. Even if you pick the action, you have to hit the ball.
While it's too early to say the wickets have dried up, Rashid isn't someone who hasn't see tough times. In the last edition, he gave away more than 50 runs in consecutive games. While he had figures of 4-0-55-1 against Kings XI Punjab, he was taken for 4-0-49-1 in the next game by Chennai Super Kings. "I have seen those videos again and again and I know what I did wrong," he stresses. "I bowled too full. I was looking for wickets and when there's no turn, no matter who you are, you will get hit.
"I realised you can't keep taking wickets in each and every game. You need to focus on what you can do right. I needed to focus on my length - the back of length delivery - that is my area. My coaches came to me after the second bad game and said 'look, we have all had bad games. It happens with cricketers. As a bowler, what do you feel like?' I accepted that and brought my length back."
Rashid points out the despite not getting too many wickets, it's crucial to enjoy the game. "You need to enjoy each and every moment. If you don't then you suddenly lose your momentum and confidence," he says. "When I look lazy on tv, my nephews call me and ask me about what happened. I have to keep that is mind. Most important thing is fitness. In the last two years, I have worked really hard on that."
And while T20 cricket has given Rashid the fame, it's not his preferred format. "I love T20s but I enjoy playing ODIs more. You have more time and you can think of your game. We have enough time to manage the batsmen."
