Eric Simons welcomed the 50-50 pitches that this Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen with bowlers having a say in the proceedings.
“This season the seamers have done more than they have done in the past. Spinners will play a bigger role as the tournament goes on as the wickets start getting drier. Last year, a lot more spin bowlers were leading wicket-takers.
“Some spinners have struggled this year. Curators have tended to leave more grass on the pitches to be able to prepare the wicket for a longer period of time,” said Simons, the Delhi Daredevils head coach here on Monday.
Simons noted the bowlers were on top in this tournament. “I had said that bowlers would come back in the tournament. The bowlers are a lot calmer and have gotten used to going for eight an over.
“The curators have left a little more grass on the wicket as they need to have good contest and need to have wickets that last the tournament. Even with low scores, in Twenty20 it's still very exciting.”
On how he motivated the bowlers, Simons said, “We talk about processes. If you bowl a perfect yorker and you get an inside edge past fine-leg for a four, you can only do your job. That's often what happens in situations.
“The reaction is to the result. Sometimes we will play a good game and lose and sometimes like last night, we probably didn't deserve to win. We will not have to be carried away with the outcome and concentrate on the process.”
Learning stage
Simons observed the IPL was a great learning stage.
“I find IPL an incredibly dynamic place to work on. It's exciting. As a coach you are learning in every match.
“You need to be one step ahead of the opposition. This season is different from last season. It was a privilege to be involved with Team India as the bowling coach, it had different challenges. But I am enjoying what I am doing now.”
The head coach lavished praise on left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem.
“I met him as a coach a couple of years ago, you could see it in his eyes. His confidence and his self-belief.
“When you see that, you know you have something special. I am not surprised the way he has done so well.
“You can name 10-15 players who have developed over the last five years of the IPL because of the international players around them.”
