Tremendous improvement in skill levels of players in last 7 years - Tom Moody

Tom Moody

Former Australian player and Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody believes that the batting and bowling skills of players have developed dramatically since the advent of the Indian Premier League in 2008.

With special reference to the latest sensation in the cricketing circuit Glenn Maxwell, Moody said that the batting styles have changed.

“There is no doubt. It has changed enormously,” Moody was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

“We have seen over the last seven years of just the IPL, for instance, a number of players develop their skills dramatically. We did not see the Maxwell-type cricketers in year one, two or three. We all remember the first innings in Bangalore when Brendon McCullum made a remarkable start to the IPL [with an unbeaten 158 off 73]. But that was more conventional cricket as we know it – the traditional sweep-slogs and hitting down the ground,” he said.

Moody said that the new scoring zones that have been discovered by players such as Maxwell and David Warner never looked possible 7 years ago. “Now we are seeing these reverse-sweep slogs – not just reverse-sweeps, but reverse-sweep slogs – that are going well in front of square right down to backward square. We have got Warner doing exactly the same sort of thing. We saw the other night Warner play a late cut right-handed against a quick. To think that was ever going to happen in year one [of the IPL], you’d be laughed at,” he said.

According to Moody, bowlers have adapted to the change admirably well. “What we have also seen that is interesting is the bowlers suddenly also emerge and change their thought process as they have to keep up with the game. The disguise of slower balls has also improved. It is not just the standard slower ball that you see coming in these days. Most bowlers have to have two varieties of slower balls… the wide yorker we have also seen. So there have been a lot of changes,” the Australian all-rounder said.

Accepting that change is a part of life, Moody ended by saying, “I still think it will continue to grow in that way because to be successful you need to keep moving. If you keep still you will be left behind. Both batsmen and bowlers will be very aware of that and coaches too for that matter. They need to keep moving and trying to find new ground to challenge their opponent.”