India news: Dravid targets flexibility in batting in T20 cricket

India coach Rahul Dravid has said that the team is targeting greater flexibility when batting.

While this isn’t necessarily about batting position, India want a greater situational awareness at the crease to bolster their game in the format.

Blessed with an abundance of data from internationals and the IPL, the Indian camp are now charged with putting that information to good use.

“I think we need a certain level of flexibility in T20s, that again has been communicated to a lot of the players,” Dravid explained as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo.

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“There has been conversation around the fact that we need to be flexible, we can’t be predictable.

“We need to sometimes have the left-right combinations.

“All the stats and data tell you the value of left-right combination, left-arm spinner to left-hand batsman – we all know that stuff.

“We want our players to be flexible, and that we may need to move them around, and I think they’ve responded really well.

“They want to embrace that, understand the value of that, and so, yes, certainly through that middle order, it’s an area we want to improve and get better at.”

Dravid conceded that it was easier to read the situation in a chase, but said that India were trying to get the most out of a surface batting first as well.

The coach said that India are also trying to match their batters to the bowlers they expect to be bowling at a given time.

“Especially while batting first, we want to set good totals,” Dravid said.

“Sometimes you need that flexibility when you want to take down certain bowlers or combinations or scenarios,