I am working on variations: Josh Hazlewood

Kolkata, 12 March। Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood says he is working on variations and trying to bowl from close to the stumps to come good in Indian conditions in the upcoming World twenty20.

"I am working on variations. Am bowling from close to the stumps. I am always keeping it up to the batsmen," Hazlewood told the media here.

Asked whether his propensity to maintain a probing line outside the off stump would succeed in the Indian conditions, the 25 year old New South Wales player said "I think variations are ok."

Hazelwood said cricket's twenty20 format was always challenging for a bowler. "Definitely T20 is harder. One needs to come out harder not only to contain but to take wickets as well. That is tough".

Hazlewood named South African AB de Villiers as the most dangerous T20 batsman.

"The most dangerous T20 batsman is de Villiers. I think he is one batter who can really dominate the bowlers. He plays his shots and can also last till the very end. He is fantastic."

However, he hastened to add that every side in the World T20 has some batsmen who can be very dangerous.

Asked about the comparisons drawn between him and Australian pace legend Glenn Mcgrath, Hazlewood said: "Comparison to Mcgrath is a great compliment, more than (being compared to) anyone else. But I am not close to him even."

Hazlewood said he has not worked much with his more illustrious predecessor save for a year at the MRF Pace Academy in India.

"Apart form that, I have spoken to him a few times here and there. But our generation grew up watching the likes of Mcgrath with the ball. I really liked him as a youngster."

Agency