‘As a captain, you can utilize them to your advantage’ - Cricket legends highlight importance of strategic time-outs in IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is undoubtedly one of the biggest T20 leagues in the world, and one of the biggest features of the competition has been the inclusion of the strategic timeout, which was first introduced in the IPL 2009.

Sides use the strategic timeout as a time to huddle up and discuss strategies. Ever since the introduction of the timeout, it has become an integral part of the competition and the discussions during the same have gone on to change the game's momentum various times.

Recently, cricket legends Eoin Morgan, Chris Gayle, and Graeme Swann came forward to talk about the importance of the timeout and how it is used in the tournament. "As a captain, you can utilise them to your advantage to try and break down the pace of play, particularly after a bad powerplay," Morgan said on JioCinema’s Insiders Feed.

"A lot of the time, when you don’t need the information, it’s the nervous energy from the dugout that comes onto the field, which is exactly what you do not need in a high-pressure moment. That is where good, strong leadership in the dugout becomes more relevant. You don’t want to be shouting and screaming messages when you’ve already had an hour-long meeting before the game," he added.

You have nothing to say to each other: Swann

Gayle, Swann, and Morgan started discussing the strategic timeout after a discussion between Gujarat Titans coach Ashish Nehra, Hardik Pandya, and pacer Alzarri Joseph.

Continuing about the same, former English cricketer Graeme Swann talked about Andy Flower’s antics during the strategic timeouts.

"I know Andy Flower, and if we didn’t need one (strategic time-out), he’d go like - ‘ do we have to go on?’ I’d say we have to go, the cameras are on. He’d go right, (pointing fingers) you, you, and you, you’re with me, look like you mean business. So we’d all stroll on and then you have nothing to say to each other," Swann said.