It is important for youngsters to have relaxed mind to express themselves: Mohammad Amir

Players from the Desert Vipers squad – Shadab Khan and Mohammad Amir provided insights into their roles and strategies they aim to employ in the ILT20 tournament. Shadab Khan spoke about his adaptable approach, expressing a willingness to take on any role assigned by the team management. Shadab also hinted at the possibility of batting higher up the order, showcasing his commitment to the team's goals and his eagerness to contribute in various capacities.

“See, whatever the team demands from me I will be ready to do. And if you have seen our team’s higher order batting, I play according to the plan set by the team. And if the team management want me to play higher up the order in the ILT20 then definitely I will do it. Because even I want to bat higher up the order," Shadab said on being asked about his role in theVipers squad.

And the second thing is even in the power play and death overs, like I’ve said before, whatever the team management and captain want, I will try and do it. I have bowled during the power play in other leagues, and I have experience there. But I haven’t bowled in the death yet and there’s a thrill in taking up a new challenge, so if there is ever an opportunity, I will definitely take the challenge up,” he added.

Adding to the team dynamics, left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir from Desert Vipers shared insights into his role as a senior player, particularly in grooming young talents from different countries, with a special focus on players hailing from Pakistan. Amir emphasized the significance of clearly defining roles for young players and maintaining a stable plan across series, emphasizing that consistent planning is pivotal for their development.

In the context of the broader Asian cricket landscape, Amir highlighted the need for a more enduring approach, expressing concerns over frequently changing strategies after each series, except for India. Amir also underscored the importance of allowing young players the freedom to express themselves on the field for the Desert Vipers, highlighting that development is a gradual process that requires sustained opportunities over several series.

With the T20 World Cup on the horizonAmir highlighted the significance of tournaments like the ILT20 in maintaining a consistent developmental process for young players.

“I have a belief that whenever you bring a young player into the system, you clearly tell them what their role is. Along with telling them their role, you tell them what your role is as well. For us, mostly, apart from India, if you look at Sri Lanka or Pakistan, our plans change series by series. And that should not happen. And until you give a player a free run or allow him to express himself, he won’t be able to groom himself. Because you don’t get results in one day, it’s a process," he said.

"And a process happens over a few series, so when you bring a player in, you should have the mindset to play him for a period of five years for him to develop. In Asia, apart from India, after every series the plans change, and that shouldn’t happen. And as a senior player, whenever youngsters ask me questions about what they can do different, I say that your mindset has to be relaxed. And as senior players we should make sure that the youngsters have a relaxed mind because when your mind is relaxed you can express yourself better," he added.