"I like to give the ball a bash"
By Iain Spragg
The Indian Premier League is live on Setanta Sports throughout May on BT Vision. We caught up exclusively with Aussie big-hitter Andrew Symonds – star of the Hyderabad Deccan Chargers – before the tournament began and found him chomping at the bit...
So, Andrew: the Indian Premier League. Excited?
I can’t wait and everyone else I’ve spoken to who has signed is really excited. Twenty20 is a big buzz to be involved in and watch but the IPL has the extra selling point of having some of the world’s greatest cricketers all playing in the same tournament. I think we’re going to see some pretty special performances along the way – it’ll be mayhem!
What’s your approach to the tournament going to be?
I think Twenty20 as a concept is still fundamentally a bit of a hit and giggle affair and should still be seen as a form of entertainment. I think as time goes on it will become more tactical and people will prepare and train specifically for it. I think the key with it is to have a bit of fun with it and not get too carried away. It’s still a lottery at times and you’ve got to trust to luck a bit.
How do you enjoy Twenty20 cricket to Test matches and ODIs?
I’ve had success in limited over cricket, so Twenty20 is a format I really enjoy. It favours the big-hitting batsmen and everyone knows I like to give the ball a bash. But I think like most players, I still enjoy the tactical battles you get in a Test match or the way a 50-over game ebbs and flows.
Do you feel extra pressure because you were the second-most expensive player behind Mahendra Dhoni in the IPL auction?
It’s flattering but I had no control over how much the teams bid in the auction, so it’s not something that is playing on my mind. All the foreign players have a responsibility to produce some exciting cricket, to put on a good show, and that’s what I’m focusing on. There’s around 70 players going over to India to play in the IPL and we all want to make the competition a success.
How will it feel facing your Australian team-mates who are playing for the other seven teams?
It will be a challenge because I’ve found it hard facing up to them in the past couple of years in Shield cricket back home. You spend a lot of time together and get pretty attached to them from playing in the Australian side – they‘re your friends and you build up a camaraderie after playing with them for a long time. But we all have to try and forget about that once the IPL gets going. I won’t get carried away though if I get the better of them while batting or bowling. The game’s a great leveller and the moment you take it a bit too far you can get quickly get brought back into line.
What sort of impact do you think the IPL is going to have on world cricket?
The IPL and these sorts of tournament concepts are a really good platform for Twenty20 cricket to grow—promoting it as something different not only for the players but also the fans. Instead of it competing against international and Test cricket and taking attention away from the traditional and core aspects of cricket, I think it complements it. You’ve only got to look at the publicity it has already generated and the quality of players it’s attracted to realise the IPL is here to stay.