Strategy breaks providing turning points: Harbhajan

Mumbai Indians tweaker Harbhajan Singh has backed the concept of strategy breaks as he feels this seven-and-a-half minute breathers are providing turning points in Indian Premier League matches. “It can be good or bad depending on how it affects your result. And on more than one occasion it has helped the bowling side. In almost every match a wicket has fallen after the break and that has turned out to be the turning point of the match,” Harbhajan wrote in his blog.

Harbhajan said the breaks are affecting the batsmen’s concentration but at the same time giving enough time to the bowlers to rework their stretegies. “Generally,in this format if the batting team gets a good start,they would like to continue with the same rhythm and this format gives them this much of lenience too. But seven and half minutes of break can easily derail the momentum f the batsman. “On the other hand if bowlers are under the hammer they can always use this break to re-group,re-think,and rejuvenate,” he said.

He said one way of dealing with this break would be to shy away from taking any risks immediately on resumption. “I am sure batsmen will learn from this experience and will avoid taking too many risks after the break. Once you are settled again and have wickets in hand you can always get the desired score,” he said.