McCullum: Smith is an intelligent batsman
New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum is enjoying opening the batting for Chennai alongside West Indian Dwayne Smith, saying they feed off each other and bring out complimenting attitudes.
New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum is enjoying opening the batting for Chennai alongside West Indian Dwayne Smith, saying they feed off each other and bring out complimenting attitudes.
McCullum and Smith are a new pairing in this year's IPL after McCullum moved from Kolkata. They have a century stand and an 85 to their names thus far in five games, and the Kiwi is impressed with Smith's cricketing brain.
McCullum told the IPL website: "It is great to bat with him because he is so powerful and has a lot of options in his batting. He is a very intelligent cricketer as well. I enjoy how wise a head he has about his game.
"He has certainly shown his experience in this format of the game. We seem to have a good rapport and get a good partnership going. We are pretty lucky that both of us hit the ball and hit it in different areas.
"I saw a comment from our captain (MS Dhoni) earlier in the week when he said that Smith and I don't compete against each other but we complement each other, which is nice to have in an opening partnership.
"The captain and the coach have complemented our abilities to play our games. They don't want us to be too aggressive, but just play the style of cricket which has got us to where we are in world cricket at the moment.
"It is always nice to get a leadership team like that to give the confidence to go out and play. What we have seen are reasonably aggressive starts from us, which are in character with how we are as players.
"We are not trying to be what we are not; we are just trying to play our natural game."
Latest
-
News
On this day in 2018: Australian trio banned after ball-tampering saga
The trio were handed their punishments on March 28, 2018.
-
County Cricket
Surrey stars eager to help Alec Stewart sign off with more silverware
Stewart has guided Surrey to three County Championship wins during his decade in charge.
-
Women's Cricket
Maia Bouchier smashes 91 as England Women seal T20 series victory
England made 177 for three and then restricted New Zealand to 130 for seven.
-
County Cricket
Yorkshire boosted by Harry Brook and Joe Root’s early-season availability
Both players are not at the Indian Premier League.
-
England
Ollie Pope ‘itching’ to get back scoring runs after ‘frustrating’ tour of India
The England vice-captain hit a superb 196 in Hyderabad, but averaged only 14.75 in the next four Tests of the India series.
-
Women's Cricket
Ellyse Perry says Ashes Test at MCG ‘amazing’ but unsure about four-day return
Australia will host England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Women’s Ashes early next year.
-
County Cricket
Harry Brook set to return for start of Yorkshire’s County Championship campaign
Brook withdrew from England’s Test tour of India in January due to personal reasons.
-
England
England spinner Tom Hartley expects his exploits in India to be ‘life changing’
Hartley’s second-innings haul of seven for 62 in Hyderabad delivered one England’s greatest ever overseas victories.
-
Women's Cricket
Heather Knight urges more composure from England after New Zealand collapse
The tourists needed just 29 from 29 balls with eight wickets in hand.
-
Australia
On this day in 2018: Australia ‘sandpapergate’ ball-tampering controversy erupts
The incident led to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft being banned from playing for Australia.