SportsAdda ambassador Brett Lee expects to see more of Delhi opener Prithvi Shaw in Test cricket while giving him a nickname of ‘little Virender Sehwag’ in episode 4 of SportsAdda presents T20 Crazy, powered by Sportsbet.io.
Sitting down with host Manish Batavia, the former Australian superstar also provided his thoughts on Ravindra Jadeja, Hyderabad’s selection issues, and the importance of toss in T20s.
Additionally, Lee also spoke about Glenn Maxwell’s impact when joining a new franchise team and his views on Hardik Pandya’s misfiring campaign so far in the Indian T20 League.
“Have a Ravi Jadeja day!” Lee said.
Ravindra Jadeja, for one, smashed 37 runs in the 20th over of the game against Bangalore. Harshal Patel, the bowler, equalled the record for the most expensive over in T20 cricket in the process. Apart from his batting exploits, the Chennai all-rounder also scalped three wickets and played a part in one run-out.
Jadeja in the match vs RCB:
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 25, 2021
5 sixes in the last over
62* off 28 with bat
3/14 with the ball
One wicket-maiden over
One direct hit on the field #CSKvsRCB #IPL2021 #CSK
“To get 37 off one over, the most expensive over in the Indian T20 League, he (Jadeja) just dominated. You saw a couple of full tosses in the over, but the way he could illustrate, how he could turn an okay ball into a negative ball and hit it for a six and just dominate. Then, back it up in the field - run out - and then take wickets. I mean, these days don’t happen that often where you dominate with the bat or the ball or on the field but to combine them collectively, it’s out of this world.”
Prithvi Shaw, the little Virender Sehwag
Delhi opener Prithvi Shaw did the unthinkable that no one could expect from him - six boundaries in an over. He emulated his Mumbai and team Delhi compatriot Ajinkya Rahane who was the first to achieve the feat in the 2012 edition.
Batsmen hitting six fours off six balls in an over in IPL:
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 29, 2021
Rahane vs S Aravind, RR v RCB, 2012
Prithvi Shaw vs S Mavi, DC v KKR, 2021#IPL2021 #DCvsKKR
“The way that he batted, I mean the first ball went for a wide which he couldn’t touch and then went four four four four four four. I mean, 25 off the over!” Lee exclaimed.
“Prithvi Shaw is the batsman; when we watch him, we get so excited. He’s like a little Virender Sehwag in a way, and I don’t want to pigeonhole him into being an explosive, aggressive because he can play proper cricket shots, too, as could Sehwag, who was one of the best Test batsmen to watch.”
“But I mean, this guy is incredible, and I’m looking forward to when he gets back in the Test arena.”
Hardik to rediscover himself soon
Mumbai all-rounder Hardik Pandya has endured a torrid start to the Indian T20 League 2021 campaign, registering just 36 runs from his first five games. But, Binga is hopeful and sure that the 27-year-old will find his mojo soon.
“I’m hopeful and sure that someone like Hardik Pandya will find his structure very, very shortly. He (Hardik) has been struggling; he hasn’t bowled, so he hasn’t been given a chance I guess to take a lot of wickets,” Lee explained.
“But when you talk about the Pandya brothers, firstly Hardik, I mean he’s world-class, which is why we expect more when he goes out to play. Because we’re hoping that he goes out and shows us how good he is because he’s done it for so many many years.”
“I do believe champions step up, and Hardik Pandya is only one or two games away from a big score. He’ll come out; he’ll flourish; he’ll pick off 50 odd runs in, you know, 15-20 balls.”
Maxwell enjoys playing in a new jersey
Bangalore’s Glenn Maxwell is inarguably one of the most in-form players in Indian T20 League 2021, having stacked up 223 runs so far. Binga predicted at the start of the latest campaign that the 32-year-old is due for a big season, and by the looks of it, his words are bearing fruit.
“I think he (Glenn Maxwell) is enjoying playing a different jersey for a different team. In terms of his average, he is 12 or 13 runs above the average he commands for several years in the Indian T20 League.” Lee says.”
“But he’s always been the leader of the pack when he comes into the new team. The pressure is always on him as a player to step up and score runs, and now when he comes in a side where he can be below ABD and Kohli, he can slide in under the radar nicely and be able to play his natural game without the pressure on him.”
While praises are flowing in for Glenn Maxwell’s rejuvenation in the Indian T20 League, with a batting average of over 30 and a strike rate above 150, our ambassador Brett Lee asserted that the captain Virat Kohli should be credited for getting the best out of the Australian power-hitter.
