Playing in franchise leagues around the world elevates your game: Shane Bond Premium

Shane Bond, former New Zealand cricketer and current coach, discusses the impact of the IPL and the future of cricket.

Shane Bond bowled faster than most pacers in history. Injuries hampered his career, and yet, few quicks have given cricket fans as much joy as the New Zealander did. It is a pity he could play only 18 Tests, from which he claimed 87 wickets at 22.09. In 82 ODIs, he picked up 147 wickets at 20.88. After retiring in 2010, he has focused on coaching. He spent nine gratifying years at Mumbai Indians as a bowling coach before moving to Rajasthan Royals, where he is the new assistant and fast-bowling coach. He is also the head coach of Paarl Royals, currently playing the SA20 tournament. Bond spoke to The Hindu in Paarl. Excerpts:

Do you think the SA20 could do to South African cricket something like what the IPL did to Indian cricket?

I think so. You can’t beat playing experience. And even when I started, I did six years in the Big Bash, which moved from eight games to 14. And I look at someone like Daniel Sams, who was working, came in, and that experience of playing that amount of games per year, the exposure it gave him, the experience it gave him, all of a sudden elevated him into IPL and into international honours. Because, you can train as much as you want, but it is playing experience and learning off that that makes you better. I think that is what you see in India.

Indian cricketers play more games than anyone else. So at a younger age, they are further developed. So they come into the IPL younger and have success, and obviously now there is this massive depth of talent. And you are seeing the players who play across international franchises, and are exposed now, their games are just going on the up and up.

You think of guys like Daryl Mitchell, the exposures that they have had, and how good a player he is now. I think it just elevates your game playing in the IPL and in these franchise competitions around the world. You know, at the end of the day, the more cricket you can play, the better. I would much rather play games than be in the nets.

When you first came to the IPL in 2010, as a player for Kolkata Knight Riders, did you think it would become one of the world’s biggest leagues, for any sport, not just cricket?

There was never any doubt in my mind that it was going to be a huge competition. There is obviously India’s huge population, and then there is the passion for the game. I think it is only going to get bigger and longer. At some point in time, cricket is going to go to a more football-type model. You are seeing that now with the Royals and a number of the other franchises owning teams all over the world. You are going to see players who are contracted year-round to franchises, playing in different competitions under the same banner.