'Played There With Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne…': Glenn McGrath Says Time for Bowlers to Innovate Ahead of T20 World Cup in USA – News18

The upcoming T20 World Cup is all set to be played in the West Indies and the United States in June this year. Although the Caribbean is a familiar territory for most of the global cricketers, the same cannot be said for the USA.

Asked how the pacers would be able to make an impact on an uncharted territory like the US, Australian legend Glenn McGrath proclaimed that it’s time for the bowlers to evolve in the format, just like the batters.

“Not sure how the pitches are going to play there (in the US). I played a tournament there a long time ago with Sachin (Tendulkar) and Shane (Warne), and that too on a baseball field,” McGrath said.

“So, the fast bowlers will again have to adapt to the conditions, execute and have that match awareness. It’s going to be interesting. The batters have taken the game to the next level with innovation, and it’s time for the bowlers to step up and match them,” he added.

McGrath says a new crop of Australia pacers are getting ready to step in once the current troika of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc is ready to walk into the sunset.

There have been whispers in Aussie circles about finding successors to Cummins (30), Starc (34) and Hazlewood (33), but McGrath did not have any doubt over a seamless transition.

“We have got our next generation waiting in the wings. We will wait and see. Scot Boland, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson and a lot of younger guys are coming through who are ready to go. They just need that opportunity,” he said.

Boland and Neser have made a few Test appearances but they are also approaching their mid 30s with Richardson being the youngest of the crop at 27.

The 54-year-old attributed the long waiting period for the second line players to the consistency of the current lot.

“The (current) Australian fast bowling order is strong. They have been performing well and winning and they have not been getting injured as well. Until they stop performing or players start getting injured, things don’t change. So, I feel that is the reason for this (no young fast bowlers in the team).

“You look at Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell, they are all bowling well. I think they still have some life left in them before we see a change,” McGrath said.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)