Steyn relishes bowling in India

He may have started ageing but that hasn’t resulted in him losing his trademark beam on his face. He may have come off a major injury layoff, but Dale Steyn assures us that he hasn’t lost pace at all.

As South Africa continued its preparation to win an ICC major trophy for the first time in 18 years — they won the maiden mini-World Cup in 1998 — Steyn revealed the secret of his success in Indian conditions.
“I have enjoyed bowling more in Indian conditions than anywhere else. The ball doesn’t bounce much, keeps low at times, so it brings all dismissals into play. For instance, in Perth, if a batsman misses the ball and is hit on the pads in front of the wickets, the umpire more or less says not out, going above stumps,” Steyn said on Wednesday, after South Africa slogged it out in the sweltering heat at the Brabourne stadium for more than three hours.
“Similarly in South Africa, I am only looking at getting edges or a batsman dragging on but the lbw is taken out of equation. Whereas in India, I can get a nick off, also try and get a batsman leg before knowing that the decision will go my way. I can also try out all the variations, a short ball may keep low, another may rise above the shoulder, bringing the top-edge into play.
“That’s why as a fast bowler, I have enjoyed bowling in India. And like I have always said, if you as a fast bowler can bowl a yorker at 145kph, it will fetch you a wicket anyway, whether you are playing in India or elsewhere. A fast ball is a fast ball, the wicket doesn’t come into play.”
No age issues
 At 32, Steyn was probed if he was slowing down with age. “No, I don’t think I am slowing down,” said the smiling assassin. “I spoke to (Mumbai spinner) Pravin Tambe and he is 45 years old. Age is just a number. It doesn’t really matter. I have watched Brett Lee bowl 145 kmph-150 kmph at 38. Maan, it is a number. I can do whatever I want to do as long as I am fit and strong.”
With South Africa set to begin its World Twenty20 campaign against England on Friday, Steyn was asked about the Proteas’ reputation of fizzling out in major tournaments.
“We haven’t won one, so that doesn’t give us any pressure at all,” he joked.
“We have been a powerhouse team and it’s disappointing for fans that we haven’t won one. Every tournament we go to, we go there as well-prepared as we possibly can be. We have got some of the best players in the world. T20 is a strange game. I think anybody in the top-7 teams can win it.”

Keywords: World T20 championships 2016, World Twenty20 championships, Dale Steyn