Team India’s T20 masterplan has been made with the focus on the batters. But that doesn’t mean that the bowlers have no role to play.

Arshdeep Singh, who did a fine job with the ball on Thursday picking up 3/24 in his four overs after the India batters had laid the platform setting Zimbabwe a steep 257-run target, explained after the win in Chennai how the bowlers are willing to adjust to batsmen-friendly pitches so that the team can implement its strategy successfully.

“As long as our batters are having fun batting on these wickets, we’re happy. We don’t mind being hit for runs.

“Our game plan over the last year or two has been to score big and then try to defend it. So as long as we keep getting those kinds of wickets where the batsmen can play freely — because we have batting till No. 8 — so as long as they’re getting that freedom from the wicket that they can score runs freely, we are more than happy to do the dirty job. So the thing is to enjoy the batting, and then defend the score,” Arshdeep said.

However, it’s not that the bowlers would be expecting the team to put up a massive total on the board every time. As a team, they have a certain number in their head and set up their plans around it, Arshdeep said.

“We were not looking at how many runs we scored (against Zimbabwe), we just wanted to bowl according to our plans, and maintain our standards. We always keep a target in mind, like 160, 180, according to the wicket and ground conditions.

“We always try to raise our standards as a bowling unit, and, yes, it’s good to have the cushion of extra 20, 30, 40, 70, runs. But at the end of the day, we just want to raise our standards as a bowling group,” the left-arm pacer added.

Daddy fan

A lot was at stake in the South Africa-West Indies match, which preceded the India-Zimbabwe game on Thursday. India needed South Africa to win for a favourable equation and the Proteas obliged too.

But at one stage, the West Indies, who were down 83/7, fought back brilliantly and were threatening to take control of the match. Not just Team India, even their families were keeping an eye on that game. And Arshdeep has a story around it as well.

“We didn’t watch the whole thing (match), but it was certainly a see-saw affair. My family was also in the room, and when the West Indies batters smashed a six, papa gaali de rahe the ki, ‘Kya kar rahe hain?’ (father was abusing, ‘what are they doing?’) So I was like, ‘It’s okay, don’t be angry and just enjoy the match’,” Arshdeep said.