Having a good bowling line-up is key in the T10 format, says Sangakkara

Abu Dhabi [UAE], January 12 (ANI): White-ball cricket is considered a batsmen's game but former Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara feels a good bowling line-up is a key cog in the team's wheel. The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) president feels the teams that have variety in their bowling-line up usually win in the shortest formats.
"As in the T20 format, your bowling line-up has to do a lot of work in terms of winning games (in the T10 format)," said Sangakkara.
"Yes, a team needs to have the runs on the board and the ability to score them but more often than not, the sides that have the variety and smarts in their bowling line-ups, usually win the shorter formats of the tournament, especially in pressure situations," he added.
Sangakkara will be stepping in as the team mentor for Team Abu Dhabi, for the second season of Abu Dhabi T10 League.
When asked about his role in the team as the mentor, the 2014 World T20-winning player said that he will look to make the players understand the importance of taking calculative risks.
"As a mentor, it's basically about getting players to understand that there's no reward without risk, what are the calculative risks to be taken and the players need to have an open and creative mind, right from ball one to be able to do well in the T10 format," said Sangakkara.
"A lot of the players, who come here, are international stars, players that are playing at a high level of domestic or franchise cricket around the world and there are also young cricketers, who are extremely talented, but need a little bit more help in terms of understanding their own abilities and what is needed in terms of converting that in terms of performances on the field," he added.
The Sri Lankan legend feels the influence of the shortest format has made Test cricket more exciting.
Sangakkara said after the inclusion of the short forms of the game, captains have become more attacking in their intent in the longest format of the game and batsmen are seen trying new shots in Test cricket.
"It was a very exciting finish (the third Test against India and Australia) with (Hanuma) Vihari and R Ashwin holding Aussies at-bay in that final session and going with a draw. Cricket is for everyone, people who have been brought up watching Test matches the real Test five day format, the courage, physically, mentally, your technique is broken down, is analysed in the format," said Sangakkara while replying to a query from ANI.
"But then again you have a larger section of people now since the advent of T20 cricket and success of IPL and other franchise leagues that have been attracted to newer format who don't have the intimate connection with the heritage and the history and culture of Test cricket," the mentor of Team Abu Dhabi said.
The former Sri Lankan skipper said the only thing which needs to be seen is that newer formats shouldn't be coming at the cost of Test cricket. (ANI)