The powerful T20 World Cup pioneer from the West Indies brings more than just local knowledge to his role as an adviser to defending champions Jos Buttler. In what will be a curious sight for many, Kieron Pollard, West Indies’ T20 World Cup winner and captain back in 2022, is now wearing an England training jersey instead.
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Pollard himself did not agree with this. Cricket is a business, he explains. You have a job and you’re just trying to do it to the best of your ability. This mindset formed the basis of Pollard’s remarkable T20 career, which has continued despite his retirement from the Indian Premier League and international cricket. Pollard played more T20 games than anyone in history: 660, including 101 for the West Indies. He hit the second most sixes and the third most runs. He has won five IPL titles, a T20 World Cup and an absurd 18 titles.
Equally important, Pollard was one of the first major cricketers to turn down a national central contract. In 2010, he realized that his talent could be showcased more as a freelance T20 player. The T20 world is a world that Pollard helped shape.
Just like the game that is played. In the Indian Premier League this season, teams are scoring faster than ever before. Batsmen continue to recalibrate what is considered possible, especially in the closing stages of the innings.
Archer’s Preparation for the T20 World Cup
Here Pollard emerges as one of the iconic figures of T20. Fifteen years ago, at the age of 22, Pollard played an innings that changed both his life and the format. With Trinidad and Tobago needing 51 from 24 balls against New South Wales in the Champions League in Hyderabad, Pollard scored 47 from his next 11 deliveries. Trinidad won; Pollard soon won his first IPL contract worth $750,000. He created a finisher template using the power he generates from his 6-foot-5 frame.
Although Pollard is a deft medium pacer and was one of the pioneers of catching boundaries, his career was built on his stunning strokes. In T20, he concedes an average of just 13 balls per match; what he does with them makes him one of the greatest T20 World Cup players ever.
Jos Buttler was one of the first to be influenced by Pollard. In 2010, Pollard joined Somerset as an overseas player; Buttler was 19 years old and playing his first season in the T20 Blast. During Pollard’s two seasons at Somerset, the pair formed an impressive partnership: they added 75 runs in 6.1 overs in the 2010 semi-final; in the 2011 quarter-finals – 66 in 4.2 overs.
“He was always special; Pollard recalls of playing alongside the young Buttler. Sometimes “he even surpassed me in skill and strength.”
Pollard was impressed by Buttler’s athleticism. Jos has always been a talented person – I say in all sports. Obviously, we saw his potential as a batsman and as a wicket-keeper. And don’t forget how good he is at football, physically on the field and then off it on the PlayStation. From an all-around point of view and from an athlete’s point of view, he is an all-rounder. He is calm, he is modest.
Pollard’s Influence on Buttler: Shaping Batting Strategy
Buttler later shared a dressing room with Pollard at Mumbai Indians. The West Indian approach shaped his own method. You can also read Australia Vs Scotland’s T20 World Cup Odyssey – Resilience and Progress.
“I’ve heard a few guys talk about it like this: Eight overs left, if we hit five sixes in that time we’ll win the game, Buttler said in 2022. That’s definitely something I’ve been thinking about more: those big overs and trusting my ability to hit six; looking at West Indies players and generally how they hit more sixes than other teams. I saw it as a huge plus and a way to take the pressure off myself: knowing I had the ability to hit sixes.”
Pollard was the architect of this approach: taking more dot balls than some batsmen prefer, but with the knowledge that his penchant for clearing ropes allowed him to attack opponents relentlessly. To succeed, you will have to use your strength or natural genetics.
That’s part of making it easier to define a target, Pollard explains. Saying it and actually understanding how to do it are two different things. You can just say yes, you can collect five sixes, but how do you collect five sixes? Who will you hit five sixes against? In the Caribbean, different theories and factors will determine how you do this.
“The wickets are turning, and sometimes they are turning slowly, Pollard reflects on the tournament pitches. You have to use your strength or your natural genetics to be successful.”
Pollard and Buttler’s Partnership: A New Direction
In December in Trinidad and Tobago, Pollard and Buttler discussed taking their partnership in a new direction. This will be the first time Pollard will coach Buttler after he was hired as a consultant for the T20 World Cup.
His appointment corrects what Rob Key described as one of the glaring mistakes of last year’s ODI World Cup campaign: the lack of a coach with local knowledge. With his knowledge of pitches in the Caribbean, Pollard will reprise Mike Hussey’s role during England’s T20 World Cup victory in Australia two years ago. At 36, Pollard also has experience playing with and against most of the tournament’s top players.
“The computer and the brain are still ticking and working.”
With Buttler, the conversation was about what would be best for England at the T20 World Cup, explains Pollard. And to have experience and knowledge in a Caribbean environment for the World Cup.
“At a transitional stage in my career – I’m still playing and doing a bit of coaching and consulting here and there – that will also bode well for me in the future. It just came out and it made sense. I’m looking forward to it.”
Watching England’s 3-2 T20 series defeat in the Caribbean before Christmas gave Pollard some ideas on how they can improve the game. “The knowledge, the computer and the brain are still working and storing some things that may need to be worked on when the time comes.”
Adapting to Caribbean Conditions: England’s Challenge
Among England’s biggest challenges will be adapting between wickets in different countries; The diversity of the Caribbean environment is one of the biggest challenges for visiting teams. After starting their campaign in Barbados, which suits taller, faster bowlers, England, if all is well, will have to make it through to the semi-finals in either Guyana or Trinidad, where spin reigns supreme.
“This is something that the world tends not to see or understand about us Caribbean cricketers and what we tolerate in terms of pitches and conditions. It’s completely different.”
Pollard sees his role in England as understanding the nature of the Caribbean and how cricket is played here. We will know more when we sit down, meet and discuss what is needed. It’s a pretty broad role at the moment. Hopefully, as that time gets closer, it will narrow down to more tactics and other things.
Pollard is already developing the contours of his coaching style. He believes in players taking responsibility, seeing the coach’s role as adding a few notes of choice.
Making sure they’re in the right frame of mind is going to be very, very important, he explains. The most important thing is managing people: giving them the opportunity to realize their potential and talent, as well as some things that they have not yet used.
Pollard’s Contract and Future Aspirations
Everything has its time and place. And this is from an emotional point of view, from a mental point of view. Victory or defeat in the game – what needs to be said after? I think this is very important to get the best out of the people and the team.
While Pollard’s contract is strictly for the T20 World Cup (depending on IPL commitments, he could join the team for the Pakistan Championship from May 22), he hopes to work with England again. “If everything goes well, it will be a feather in the cap. I hope they see the need for someone with my experience to be in the England team.
“My job, as always when I played cricket, is to focus on what I need to do in the present. Whatever happens in the future, good or bad, you will take it to heart. You like it and you keep moving forward.”
On June 28, Pollard hopes his journey will take him to Kensington Oval for the T20 World Cup final: the second of his career, after he won with the West Indies in 2012. He remains a West Indies fan. and is passionate about gaming in the region.
Yet, when asked if his ideal final would be England against the West Indies, Pollard laughs. Then the businessman speaks in it. Dream final – England against anyone.
Davey notable absentee for Scotland in ICC T20 World Cup 2024 squad
Michael Jones and Brad Weale returned to Scotland’s 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, while experienced Somerset opener Josh Davey missed the game.
Jones and Weal, representing Durham and Hampshire respectively, were left out of Scotland’s squad for the T20 Tri-Series against the Netherlands and Ireland earlier this month. But the districts have cleared the duo to take part in the marquee event in the Americas next month.
However, neither Davey nor his Somerset teammate Andrew Umeed, who is uncapped at T20I level, have been cleared for World Cup selection.
Michael Jones named in Scotland’s provisional squad for World Cup
Scotland’s provisional squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA has been named today, with Durham ace Michael Jones included in the squad. Richie Berrington will lead a 15-man squad to the Caribbean, where the Scots will face England, Namibia, Oman and Australia.
Durham’s Michael Jones and Hampshire’s Brad Weale have been added to the thirteen players selected for the treble series with the Netherlands and Ireland in May. The team will travel to the World Cup on Sunday, May 26, first to Trinidad and Tobago for training and two official warm-up matches against Afghanistan and Uganda, before flying to Barbados to prepare for their first Group B match against England in Bridgetown. on Tuesday, June 4th.
Scotland men’s head coach Doug Watson said: It was a really tough qualifying meeting and it’s not easy to assemble a squad of fifteen. I think ultimately it was about getting the balance right in the lineup and we feel like we’ve achieved that here.
It’s good that we have a number of players from our county and we’re really pleased with the fifteen players we’ve selected so we can now look forward to what’s to come. To have Michael Jones and Brad Weale available, their experience from previous T20 World Cups is crucial for the group. I’m looking forward to meeting them both, getting to know them and seeing their skills up close.
Anticipation for the T20 World Cup
Most of the team have been together for a long time and did a fantastic job last year in both the 50-over qualifier and the T20 qualifier last summer. It’s nice to have some continuity along the way, although they haven’t played much cricket since then. Hopefully when we get to the Caribbean, we will see the same level of these players, if not higher.
I’m really excited about what’s ahead and I think the players are too the closer we get to it. By then we have a few more games under our belt; We’re going to play the Netherlands and Ireland in a couple of weeks, which will be good, just to get a little bit of competitiveness. We have finished our training and want to play some competitive cricket.
This is a real opportunity for us as a nation to make a name for ourselves on the world stage. If you look at the state of cricket now, with all the different franchise tournaments these guys can play in around the world, it’s still the pinnacle. From a personal and team perspective, this is huge.
“The first game against England, it will be a full day, but we won’t look too far ahead. We’ll just make sure we prepare ourselves well as a team and as individuals to represent Scotland the best we can.”
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