World Cup-winning coach Trevor Bayliss downplayed Team India’s ability to win at ICC tournaments and hailed them as one of the favourites to win the next edition of the World T20 in Australia.
“Sometimes they are not doing anything wrong. It is just other teams are good teams as well and they have a good day. Now, you play well enough for long enough, you will win your fair share of tournaments,” Bayliss told The Quint.
“I think Indian has got one of the best teams in the world. I am sure they will be a team to beat in next year’s T20 tournament in Australia.”Trevor Bayliss
India are yet to drop a point in the World Test Championships. Bayliss credited the all-around ability of the side for their superlative effort in the longest format of the game.
“They have got quality players in all positions. They have good high-order players, good middle-order and the bowling is covered as well – both pace bowling and spin,” said Bayliss.
After comfortable Test series white-wash against West Indies and South Africa, India once again registered a comprehensive win by an innings and 130 runs against Bangladesh in the first Test in Indore on Saturday.
The coach from Australia, who is part of the ongoing Abu Dhabi T10 League, explained why Mohammad Shami has been the go-to bowler for the Indian side as far second innings in a Test match is concerned.
“He bowls balls in the right area. He is shorter than some of the bowlers, so he skids on to the bat nicely. He holds a good shape of the ball with seam up and allows the ball to do as much off the seam.”Trevor Bayliss
Bayliss also highlighted the reason behind Indian speedster Bumrah being so effective in all the format of the game.
“Not only he can ball in all forms of the game, he is bowls well in all three facets of the game – whether it is at the beginning of the innings, through the middle and obviously at the end. He bowls extremely well in the end. He gets the Yorker in the there. He bowls a very heavy ball, in areas which are very difficult to hit,” said Bayliss.
Bayliss is currently coaching Team Abu Dhabi in the T10 league. Apart from his triumphs with the national sides, Bayliss has coached teams in all the premier T20 tournaments in the world. He has won the Indian Premier League twice, the Big Bash League and Caribbean Premier League once each.
According to him, there is not much difference between T20 cricket and T10 cricket.
“If you take out those middle overs, with 10 overs left and 10 wickets in hand it is bit like a T20 game where you are 90/0 and you have 10 overs to go. The best players will still try to get in along with the bat and makes sure it is easier to score runs.”Trevor Bayliss
The Abu Dhabi coach was quick to highlight how in the long run the shortest format of the game will only go on to enhance the quality of cricket in the other formats.
“As ODI cricket did for Test cricket when it came in and T20 cricket did for ODI. I think the best players will learn from it and adapt and take it to other form of the game.”
Team Abu Dhabi is the youngest team in the competition, who made their debut this time in the third edition of the tournament. But unlike other sides they don’t have many big names in their roster. Except for Moeen Ali from England, the team lacks any other current international stars. But that is not a cause of concern for the coach.
“In the shorter format, anyone can win you the game. Even against experienced teams. That is the beauty of the short formats. You need one or two good performances and an individual can win you games.”Trevor Bayliss
“We have an exceptional bowling attack, if we put enough run on the board, our bowlers can do the job,” added Bayliss.
The home team has made a decent start to the tournament, tying their first game against Qalanders and beating defending champions Northern Warriors in the second one.
Earlier this year, Bayliss coached the English side to their first 50-over World Cup triumph. England pipped New Zealand, who were playing their second consecutive World Cup final, in the final to win the trophy. The match went into Super Over, which also ended in a tie. England were declared winners on the account of higher number of boundaries scored, a rule which has now being scrapped by the international cricket body.
But a World Cup win didn’t stop coach Trevor Bayliss from ending his association with the English side. According to him, that is how he things should be for a coach
“I have always believed not to stay with a team for too long. After four or five years, you are doing well or not, it is time to move on. And give the team a new voice. I never want to stay with a team and become part of a problem whether you are doing well or not.” Bayliss signed off.
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