IPL 8: Graeme Swann's Doosra Avatar, Spins to Bollywood Tunes
Graeme Swann was in a colourful mood as he grooved to the tunes of Bollywood during an IPL 8 launch event in Southall market in London.
As an off-spinner, Graeme Swann never bowled the doosra.
However, a launch event of the Indian Premier League 8 saw the former English Test offie in a doosra avatar when he tried to shake a leg to Bollywood numbers.
The cricket world has seen Swann hop, skip and deliver with a slip and a short-leg in place but at the Southhall market in London, the offie, clad in all white, came on to perform flanked with dancers dressed in colourful sarees. Although, not as fluent as his high-arm bowling action, Swann pulled off his own rendition of the 'Bhangra' pretty well. (Hazlewood Pulls Out of Mumbai Indians' Squad)
Swann himself, never featured in the IPL but firmly believed that England needed an IPL style T20 competition involving about 10 teams to improve their T20 credentials.
"It's been special since the day it started. It's the glitziest tournament and it's just great TV", he said of the IPL. He also tipped MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings to clinch the eighth edition.
England are currently touring the West Indies for a three-Test series under the leadership of Alastair Cook. Swann had some advice for them. He urged the players to "move on" from the 2015 World Cup disaster and concentrate on the job in hand at the West Indies.
"England shouldn't focus on the World Cup in the Windies. They should forget about it, bury it and move on", said the former Test star. (Cook Key to England's Ashes Success: Warne)
Swann, who was a part of the World Cup commentary team, also predicted a series win for England when New Zealand arrive next month.
"England will win 2-0," Swann predicted, "It will be a very tough series because New Zealand are probably the most improved team in world cricket."
But Swann wasn't done with his bold predictions. He also predicted a 2-0 win for England in upcoming the Ashes series.