New Entrant: Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow made its debut. , Photo Credit: PTI
Andy Flower is glad that he could experience the freedom to feel the spirit of cricket in India for the first time in the IPL.
“This is my first IPL without Covid restrictions,” the Lucknow Super Giants coach said ahead of his team’s season opener against Delhi Capitals. “It’s really special for us to be playing at home in front of our supporters and to be in the city and feel the energy of the city.”
The former Zimbabwe captain said that the young Indians, along with the foreign players in the team, were enraptured by the enthusiasm and energy of the population of Lucknow a few nights back when they took an open bus tour.
Flower has welcomed the new rules in IPL. “I really enjoy changing the rules of the game,” he said. “One of the great things about our game is this strategic and tactical element. And it can be like a game of chess… Teams will probably have two sets of eleven (batting first and second).
He said that injured left-arm fast bowler Mohsin Khan was almost written off as an option for selection. “If he becomes fit at some stage during the tournament, I see it as a bonus,” he said.
Talking about the recently concluded Women’s Premier League, she said it is a great thing that women’s domestic cricket has started in India. “We know the strength of Indian cricket in the context of the world, so I think it’s fantastic that the WPL has happened,” he said. It can be good not only for women’s cricket but also for world cricket.