‘It released a bit of pressure’: Swepson on dismissing ‘unreal’ batsman Virat Kohli
Australia leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson was over the moon when he dismissed India captain Virat Kohli, whom he called an unreal player. Playing his first T20I in over two years and only his second game for Australia, Swepson admitted he could have bowled better in the first T20I against India in Canberra on Friday.
“I think my first three balls weren’t great so to get a wicket on the fourth, and especially Virat’s wicket, was a bit of a pressure release,” Swepson said via a virtual press conference ahead of second T20I between India and Australia.
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“I was just so excited to be out there and that over-excitement added with the pressure of wanting to do really well and perform on the international stage, throw in a couple of nerves as well... that helped getting that wicket, released a bit of that pressure.”
Swepson was on the expensive side returning figures of 1/21 in two overs. He was guilty of bowling several short-pitched deliveries to KL Rahul and Sanju Samson, both of whom combined to hit the leg-spinner for two fours and a six.
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“I guess what you saw, those emotions, were just that pressure release that I got that breakthrough for the team. He’s obviously an unreal player, to get that wicket was a little bit extra on top as well. Overall, quite disappointed with the way I bowled but it’s always nice to get a wicket like that.”
Swepson’s dismissal of Kohli was the India captain’s seventh to leg-spin in T20Is. Although Nathan Lyon has been added to Australia’s T20I squad, with Ashton Agar out injured, Swepson and Adam Zampa could well team up again on Sunday as Australia hope to level the series. Swepson fancies the idea of two leg-spinners operating, suggesting it’s a ploy bound to play on the batsmen’s mind.
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“You’ve seen the impact that leg-spin has had on the T20 format in basically all competitions; the BBL, IPL, international cricket, there’s a lot of leg-spinners having a lot of impact,” Swepson said today.
“In the BBL there’s quite a few teams that play two leg-spinners. It’s one of those things that no matter what way the ball is spinning, I think leg-spinners can have that impact. If you’ve got two that are good enough than why not play both of them? “That ability to spin the ball both ways puts doubt in the batsman’s mind. That’s where I think leg-spinners have that advantage in the T20 format.”
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