Published: Feb 09, 2016, 04:28 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 09, 2016, 04:28 PM (IST)
Ian Healy — the former Australia wicket-keeper — has approved of Australia’s move to select Peter Nevill in the ICC World T20 2016 squad ahead of Matthew Wade. He has lauded the brave move and has labelled Nevill as the best keeper-batsman in the country at the moment. The move came as a surprise to some given that Wade was the incumbent player in the team and although he had failed to perform well of late, was more used to the international limited-overs set up. Nevill has already sealed his spot as first choice wicket-keeper for Australia and may sidestep Wade in the limited-overs setup too. ALSO READ: Australia announce their squad for ICC World T20 2016
“I always say they underplay the role of the wicketkeeper in T20,” Healy told cricket.com.au. “The keeper, on the outside of it, mightn’t look like he’s got much to do, but when he’s got something to do it can be very damaging. It can be damaging to get a dismissal, whether it be a Virat Kohli or a Rohit Sharma, and generally it’ll be a difficult dismissal. Either standing up to the stumps to a medium-pacer or a spinner who has darted a yorker in, those types of really difficult dismissals,” Healy explained.
“It is a change of mindset for Australia … in these conditions. It remains to be seen whether they’re thinking ‘just in this Indian T20 World Cup, we want to go with the best wicketkeeper who is OK to bat at No.8’. And if he has to do too much batting, then our batting has let us down, not him. In T20 you shouldn’t be getting down to No.8 with a whole lot to do. It’s a change in thinking. How long term it is and whether it’s just a horse for this course, only they will know.”
