IPL 2013: Meet Dale 'Nasty' Steyn, a batsman's worst nightmare!
The express South African speedster Dale Steyn does not play to win the heart of a batsman. The world's numero uno pacer has his eyes only on the stumps. It's always Bulls' eye for him.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: May 15, 2013 11:57 AM IST
Dale Steyn just wants to get nasty. With the cricket ball, of course. The world's premier fast bowler wants to get on top of the batsman's game and feels rule makers should give T20 bowlers five overs at least! Under current rules, a bowler can have a maximum of four.
With 14 wickets so far in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League, Steyn says it is unfair that batsmen can play all 20 overs but a bowler can only bowl only four.
"You look at Chris Gayle. If he opens the batting and bats for 20 overs, he faces close to 70-80 deliveries on an average. So, he can bat for 20 overs, but I can only bowl for four overs," he points out, adding that he is as competitive as any other batsman, including Gayle.
Regarded as one of the best bowlers and feared for his 'fast and furious' approach to the sport, the Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer though also mentions that sheer skill and pace are not what completely define his on-field persona.
"As a fast bowler I have got a role. I have got to be menacing, aggressive and have to be pretty much your worst enemy. Because nobody wants to play against a teddy bear. My job is to look like a nasty, ugly person," he says, adding that he is always aiming for the off stump.
Interestingly, it is this appearance - backed by sheer talent - that also robs Steyn of deserving wickets occasionally. He says teams refuse to take risks against him which lessens chances of adding scalps against his name.
"There are a lot of games where I don't get any wickets because the teams just don't take any risks against me. So, I have to bowl those guys out. Unfortunately, on the wickets that we play on here (in India), it doesn't help much," he says and adds that therefore, at least one bowler should be allowed to bowl more than his quota of four overs.
While dealing with more than 24 deliveries from someone of Steyn's speed may be a daunting prospect for batsmen around the world, this bowler in particular says that pace cannot be developed.
"I have always been quick. I have got a healthy action which means it is fluent and very rhythmical. You are either born to bowl fast or not born for it. I think anybody can go from medium pace to fast, but the difficult part is to go from fast to extreme pace."