Live Cricket News: Last month, the Indian Premier League (IPL) concluded with Gujarat Titans defeating Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the final. The globe saw a new IPL champion, and the expanded 10-team league stuck to its slogan of “where talent meets opportunity.” The lucrative T20 tournament’s 15th edition uncovered a slew of youthful talent, including a slew of fast bowlers. With his fast pace, Umran Malik made a splash, while the Lucknow Super Giants’ Avesh and Mohsin Khan received praise as well.
Avesh, who is presently a member of India’s Twenty20 squad for the next match against South Africa, took 18 wickets for Lucknow. On Thursday at the Arun Jaitely Stadium in Delhi, he went wicketless in the series opener, allowing 35 runs in four overs. However, Gautam Gambhir, the Lucknow mentor, believes that experience will help the young swiftly. Avesh should focus on this year’s T20 World Cup in Australia, according to the former India opener.
“This bowler has a lot of talent, he has pace, a big heart to bowl the difficult overs. But I will want to see him improve further in every match. He is a young bowler, only the IPL should not be his goal, the T20 World Cup is coming ahead,” said Gambhir in a discussion on Star Sports.
“He has the attitude that a fast bowler should have and the most important thing is that he is still young and wants to learn. If he continues to work hard, he can become an excellent bowler, not only in T20s but in all three formats,” he further added.
Gambhir is not one to mince words, and he praised Avesh’s ability to bowl in all three stages of a T20 match. In his first over against South Africa, the Madhya Pradesh bowler handed up 15 runs, but just 20 runs in his following three overs.
“That ability comes with pace. If you have the pace, then you feel confident in all three phases. We have seen a lot of bowlers who do not have the pace that Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna and Jasprit Bumrah have, then you have to give them the extra protection.”
Gambhir also discussed the competition in the Lucknow camp between Avesh and Mohsin. He feels that athletes are pushed to perform as a result of team competition. Mohsin, a relatively inexperienced bowler, shone for Lucknow, taking 14 wickets at an economy rate of sub-six in nine IPL games.
“It is a good thing if one player pushes the other, then you can bring out a better performance from the other player, which you want. Your squad is a good one when every player is pushed, the other player comes and pushes you and Mohsin Khan did that exceptionally well,” explained Gambhir.
