Mount Maunganui, Nov 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) With the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup less than a year away, New Zealand batter Will Young said he was keeping selection thoughts out of his head and added that the group’s collective success mattered more to him than individual achievements.
Young smashed 125 in the fourth ODI against India, as New Zealand won by 244 runs. But whether Young boards the flight for the mega event remains to be seen, as New Zealand are missing the services of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, who are busy preparing for the Test series starting on November 19.
Add to it Tim Seifert, who hit 58, and another big-hitter, Finn Allen, who’s currently being trialled in the middle order. “I’m trying not to look at it that way to be honest. I think you’re right, there is a World Cup round the corner and there’s a lot of people that want to be in that squad and on that plane to Africa.
“So I think at the moment every player that gets an opportunity is looking to put their best foot forward. The best thing about this team is it’s all about contributing to the team’s success rather than worrying about your own game and looking over your shoulder as to who else is doing well.
“So that’s how we try to do it as a team, but you’re right, it is an important series and there’s a couple more series as well leading up to the World Cup that are important to try and stake your claim to make that squad. But the most important thing I think is being a good team man and trying to contribute in different ways towards the team’s success that will get you on that plane,” Young told reporters on the eve of the ODI series decider on Saturday.
That spirit, Young said, was reflected in the way Seifert and Allen have gone about their work. “It’s brilliant having Tim and Finn in the ODI setup. They both haven’t been in the setup for a little while and you can see the enjoyment and the energy they bring into the group.
“They’re really enjoying the opportunity and it certainly rubbed off on me yesterday. They came out and they showed the power that they’ve got but I think both of them are better than just crash bash players.
“You showed that yesterday, they adapted to what’s in front of them and we built some really meaningful partnerships and it contributed to the win at the end of the day. It’s an exciting time having Tim and Finn in the team and hopefully tomorrow they can have an impact on the game as well,” he added.
Young himself showed that adaptability on Friday, playing a string of sweeps against India’s spinners at Bay Oval. It is a shot he conceded was never a staple in his younger days, given the nature of pitches in New Zealand. He credited time spent in India and elsewhere in the subcontinent for helping him add it to his repertoire.
“No I didn’t always sweep. Growing up in New Zealand the sweep isn’t a shot you really need. It doesn’t turn as much here. It’s normally the bounce that can get you stuck. But thankfully over my cricketing career I’ve travelled to India and other parts of the subcontinent and have had the chance to grow my game and learn.
“It’s across all different types of opportunities I’ve had. Some at an amateur level, some with the New Zealand A side and obviously in the international game as well. So as my career’s gone on, I’ve managed to work out what can work in certain conditions and against certain bowlers and just keep it in my toolbox for when I think the time’s right in the game.”
Asked if one particular coach or mentor had helped him with the shot, Young said his learning had come from several people and plenty of experimentation. “There’s been many people I’ve worked with over the years. So no I think you just sort of, through trial and error really, you figure out what works and what doesn’t depending on the bowler and the conditions and certain factors like that on the day.”
On knowing when to bring the shot out, Young stressed that reading the situation matters and that good preparation makes those decisions easier. “You try your best to assess what the game requires of you, try to assess what the conditions are and what the field is set there’s a million different factors you’ve got to take in.
“So I think the main thing is training well so you know what tools you’ve got in your arsenal and then the trick is really deciding what you think is the best option at any given time and backing yourself to do that.”
Asked about his thinking to counter Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, he said the early approach against the former had been tricky before he changed his approach. “Axar was hitting a really nice length. The wicket was holding a little bit just from just back of a length so I found it difficult to find my timing.
“Kuldeep is a confidence bowler too. So I knew if I stayed still and didn’t offer too much he’d gain in confidence. So I thought I could hit with the wind and I could bring out my sweeps and thankfully that worked yesterday.”
Source: IANS
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