Former New Zealand player Simon Doull (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
He may have played just 32 Test matches and 42 one-day internationals (ODIs), but he is one of the most familiar Kiwi faces around the world for his commentary and his role as a cricket expert. Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull is still one of those rare former players who doesn’t believe in mincing his words while giving his opinions. Recently, Moneycontrol.com spoke to the 53-year-old on a range of issues related to Indian and world cricket. Here is an edited excerpt.
It was a bit disappointing the way rain spoiled the last India-NZ series in New Zealand.
Yeah, it is, I think India were looking for some answers, looking to find out a few things about the one-day side, figure out some players whether are good enough to play, and I am not sure that they have got a lot of answers, they have probably figured out that Washington Sundar when fit should probably be in the playing 11, they have figured out that Shubman Gill is very, very good at the top of the order, and he can challenge KL (Rahul) and any other batter at the position except Rohit Sharma. And they have unleashed Umran Malik to some extent. I think he’s got real potential, and he will learn along the way.
In India, people are asking, 'Why is he not playing in Twenty-20 Internationals (T20Is) or in Test cricket?’ You saw him playing there in New Zealand. What do you make of his performance, and how do you think India should nurture him? Which is the best format for him?
I think T20 is probably the best format at the moment. Will he sort of merge into a 50-over format? Yes. Will he learn along the way? Absolutely… But he got to play some cricket and learn as well I still think. Going into the 50-over World Cup, the best three bowlers, in my opinion, would be (Jasprit) Bumrah, Arshdeep (Singh) and (Mohammed) Shami—that would be my three seamers, and then Hardik (Pandya) as the fourth, and then two spinners.
That’s how I would pick my Indian team but in the time between now and next year, Umran Malik got another bunch of games for India, he’s got another IPL (Indian Premier League) to get more games, more and more getting used to playing in pressure situations in the front of big crowds, so there’s a lot of cricket and a lot of water to go to the bridge before that time.
So how should India try to use him in the white-ball format?
I still think T20s are probably his go-to at the moment but in 50-over cricket, much like how New Zealand use (Lockie) Ferguson, not with the new ball, coming on afterward, bowling through the middle, doesn’t necessarily bowl in the death, but he is a genuine wicket taker… So you take three or four for 55-60 (runs) every time, and you’re happy he doesn’t need to bowl 10 overs, none for 28, it’s not his job. His job is to get wickets and I think if they nurture him the right way and keep the same-look bowling—fast is great, we still need you to work on a few other things.
As a neutral observer, how do you look at the debate going on in India? Since the T20 World Cup is over, everyone is talking about the ODI World Cup. That India has too many options in the batting line-up with the likes of Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rahul and all the others… In one sense it is an embarrassment of riches but if you are a coach or a selector, you too tend to get confused about whom to pick or whom to drop. How do you deal with it?
I think that they are searching at the moment. Leading up to the IPL, for the 12 games from now, they will keep searching until that time and I'd keep trying different combinations. I think because if you consider who you are looking at—the five guys, I think are guaranteed to start on the first game. I think Rohit’s one, Virat at three, and Hardik for probably five or six.
I think Washington or (Ravindra?) Jadeja is a lock, and Jasprit Bumrah is a lock and to an extent, I feel Arshdeep too will be in the team, so outside that that’s what they’re searching for they are trying to find who is the (wicket)-keeper. I think up until the IPL, they will continue to try. Once the IPL is done, the next block of games leading up to the Asia Cup, they need to know who the 15-16 players are and if they don’t, by then and start sorting those combinations out, I think I would start to question or worry but up until that point of the IPL, I will be happy for me to continue to try different things.
