If I get a chance, my job is to hit big shots and go for boundaries: Deccan Gladiators fast bowler Odean Smith

Gladiators
have
won
six
out
of
eight
games
so
far
in
Season
5
of
Abu
Dhabi
T10
and
Smith’s
batting
prowess
late
down
the
order
has
helped
his
side
take
the
top
spot
in
the
points
table.

“In
the
modern
game,
all
bowlers
are
required
to
come
lower
down
the
order
and
score
quick
runs,”
Smith
said
during
a
virtual
media
interaction.
“T20
is
in
demand
for
allrounders.
I
have
been
working
on
my
all-round
game.
If
I
get
a
chance
to
bat,
my
job
is
to
hit
balls
for
boundaries.
It
is
very
good
for
bowlers
to
do
some
work
on
their
batting
so
they
can
go
on
out
there
and
hit
a
few,”
he
said.

Recalling
his
sensational
six
against
the
Bangla
Tigers
last
week
that
went
viral
on
social
media,
Smith
said
that
he
knew
what
left-arm
pacer
James
Faulkner
was
going
to
bowl
and
he
was
ready
to
go
for
the
big
hit.

“I
actually
knew
what
he
was
going
to
bowl.
I
was
just
trying
to
keep
up
my
shape
and
keep
my
eye
on
the
ball.
I
just
hit
it
as
hard
as
I
could.
You
are
more
likely
to
play
in
this
format
and
be
an
asset
when
you
can
do
both
–
bowl
and
hit
a
few
shots
lower
down
the
order,”
he
said.

Speaking
on
the
challenges
he
faces
in
the
T10
format,
Smith
said
that
a
bowler
has
to
attempt
to
execute
perfect
yorkers.
He
also
added
that
playing
in
this
format
can
give
a
lot
of
self-confidence
to
bowlers.

“It’s
quite
difficult
to
come
up
with
strategies.
You
have
to
assess
the
conditions
quickly.
Most
bowlers
try
to
execute
at
least
8
yorkers
in
their
spell.
It
is
a
good
strategy.
But
you
have
to
nail
those
yorkers.
It
is
a
batsman’s
game.
Batsmen
are
not
going
to
block
a
few
balls.
They
are
going
to
start
hitting
from
the
first
ball,”
he
said.

“The
T10
is
a
good
format
for
players
like
me
who
can
come
and
challenge
themselves
against
world-class
batsmen.
You
only
have
12
balls
and
the
execution
has
to
be
perfect.
You
bowl
12
good
bowls
here,
then
you
go
to
the
T20
stage
and
you
realise
you
don’t
have
to
think
too
much
about
two
overs.
Your
confidence
level
goes
up,”
Smith
added.

Meanwhile,
Smith
also
said
that
his
stint
in
Abu
Dhabi
has
prepared
him
for
the
upcoming
limited-overs
series
against
Pakistan.

“We
will
be
playing
ODIs
and
T20Is
in
Pakistan.
The
T10
is
a
bit
shorter.
Pakistan
are
a
very
good
team.
They
have
some
of
the
best
batsmen
in
the
world
right
now.
Dealing
with
the
pressure
of
a
T10
format
will
really
help
me
when
I
go
down
there
bowling
against
those
guys,”
he
signed
off.

Source:
Media
Release