NEW DELHI: Learning the art of playing a perfect pull shot from the peerless Ricky Ponting is a dream that Shimron Hetmyer is living during his stint with the Delhi Capitals (DC).
The explosive middle-order batsman showed glimpses of his destructive self during his 24-ball 45 knock against Rajasthan Royals. The first of his five sixes was a pull shot off Andrew Tye, executed to perfection.
“It’s been fun to be around Ricky. A very good guy. He is right now working on my pull shot. He has observed that in last few games, people have been bowling short to me. So far he is working on my pulling and he has done one hell of a job with me,” Hetmyer sounded like a disciple in awe of his mentor while talking about the Capitals’ head coach.
“He is teaching me the art of being a better finisher and I am getting there gradually.”
Hetmyer is being sent to bat at number 5 or 6 depending on match situations and by his own admission, that’s an aspect he is still coming to terms with each and every match.
“The role of a floater is not something that I was accustomed to really. I am still working towards getting better with each and every game. What I try to do now is to ensure that every game, I have to hit a six. At least, one six. Working towards that at moment,” Hetmyer, a former U-19 World Cup-winning captain, said.
Hetmyer, is a much better player of spinners among his Caribbean contemporaries, something he attributes to growing up in Guyana, which back in the day used to be one place that assisted slow bowlers.
“It could be, yes I agree,” the 23-year-old said, adding, “The pitches in Guyana are pretty similar to what we get here and in the Indian subcontinent with regards to spinners. I had no choice but to adjust to it and get better.”
“Playing spinners from an early age helped me get better and then coming to international cricket, it helped that I was able to rotate strike if the sixes are not coming,” he explained.
He is a couple of months short of his 24th birthday and has already played 86 international games across three formats (16
Tests, 45 ODIs, 25 T20Is). When he looks back, he feels surprised at the speed at which his transition has happened.
“Probably, I moved a bit faster (transition) than I expected to be honest. I didn’t expect to be where I am at the age of 23 actually, but I thank God everyday and all the people, my support system, who have helped me to reach where I am today.
—PTI

Press Trust of India