Fearless T20 Batting On The Rise, Fair Pitches Still Key: Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan
Indian bowling greats Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan believe fearless strokeplay and consistency of India's new crop of batters reflect a wider shift in how the format is being played.
India's young batting crop in the Indian Premier League is redefining the T20 template with fearless strokeplay and consistency, with names like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Priyansh Arya standing out. Indian bowling greats Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan believe this new approach reflects a wider shift in how the format is being played. Speaking exclusively to NDTV, on the sidelines of the EUT20 Belgium jersey launch event, both highlighted how the new generation of Indian batters is playing without inhibition, even against top international quicks.
"I want to see if they have nerves or not. They don't get nervous at all," Pathan said, pointing to how youngsters are taking on bowlers like Jofra Archer and Josh Hazlewood with ease.
Zaheer Khan called it an "exciting time" for Indian cricket. He noted that these batters are "playing the ball, not the name."
"They are able to take on the bowler by keeping the game very simple. This shows the amount of confidence they have," said the 2011 World Cup-winning bowler.
T20 Evolution and the 200+ Trend
Both the bowlers spoke about the rising trend of 200 totals becoming the new normal. While they agreed it is a treat for the spectators, they also assured that bowlers can always change the tide.
"We witnessed 76 all out a few days ago. Aggression is the key for bowlers," said the former MI bowling spearhead.
Irfan spoke of the entertainment quotient of the high-scoring games but betted in favour of bowlers.
"I am sure if we are able to create more pitches like Lucknow, the batters will struggle," said the T20 World Cup winner.
From Players to Owners
Beyond the on-field trends, both Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan also spoke about their evolving roles in the sport.
"You always look at how you can give back to the game. Sharing experience and guiding players is something I really enjoy now," said Zaheer Khan, talking about the change being a natural progression.
Pathan, who is stepping into ownership for the first time, said the shift brings a completely different perspective.
"Ownership is a different responsibility altogether. You're not just thinking like a player anymore," he said.
About the League
The EUT20 Belgium is a new franchise-based T20 tournament aimed at expanding cricket's footprint in Europe. Scheduled from June 6 to 14 near Brussels, the league will feature five teams representing Bruges, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Liege.
The competition will follow a round-robin format, followed by a Super 4 stage and a final. It brings together international stars and emerging players, with the larger goal of growing and professionalising cricket across Europe.
Several prominent names, including Eoin Morgan, Jonathan Trott, Shakib Al Hasan and umpire Anil Chaudhary, were present at the event.
"If we tap Europe in getting the crowd going, we can beat football, still a long way to go though," said Irfan Pathan.
India Cricket Team
Irfan Pathan
Zaheer Khan