Need to work more on my bowling as I get older: Steyn

He is regarded as one of the best fast bowlers of the modern era. Extreme pace with the ability to swing the ball both ways makes Dale Steyn a complete pacer.

The South African speedster reflects on his 11-year old career at the international stage.

How did the dream of playing cricket begin for you and when did it start taking shape?

I was about 10 or so when I first came in contact with cricket. I was visiting my family in Zimbabwe and played the game in the backyard. And I remember when I got back to school after the vacations in January, everyone seemed to be playing this crazy sport called cricket. I joined the party and since then there has been no looking back.

Why fast bowling?

I did everything when I was growing up. I was an opening batter in primary school, but fast bowling was one thing that I was always better at than anybody else. I started playing Men’s club cricket at a very young age. I was like this little 14-year old playing against full grown men who were 25 years and upwards.

You know, you start to get this confidence that you can get grown men out. Your own teammates fill you up with a lot of confidence when they see you get a great batsman out. I was lucky enough to be a part of the Northern Titan Cricket Academy. This was the same time when the 2003 World Cup was on and I got a chance to bowl to all the international pros who came for practice, made them jump around a little bit and built confidence from there. 

When did you start believing that your dream can be realised?

I don’t know. I always had this feeling that I wanted to play for South Africa. I had many people telling me this. But, I came from a small town and to be honest there was a lot of disbelief. I mean who comes from a small town with a population of 10, 000 and goes on to become a world super star. That does not happen in my world.

Guys finish school and they go on to work in the mines, get married and never move out of the small town. So, I took a leap of faith when I was about 19 and moved to Pretoria from Phalaborwa. There things happened for me. I made it to the Titans team.

Daryll Cullinan saw me bowl in the nets. He pulled me in and the next thing - I made it to the South African team. Ray Jennings pulled me in the squad. I wasn’t even a contracted player in domestic cricket and there I was playing for South Africa. So, pace does things to people.

When did you start understanding your bowling?

Well that kind of stuff took a long time (laughs). I still feel that I am learning even today. The ball is coming out nicely, but you’ve got to work on new ways to get batters out.

Understanding your body all over again. I find that when I am bowling well, I have got the basics of the game fully covered. When I bowl 6 out of 6 balls on a good length or 6 out of 6 balls as yorkers, I know I have it all covered. When I am bowling 4 good yorkers out of 6, that’s not good enough.

Therefore, I feel that I am still learning and need to understand the body well. There are days when I wake up with some sort of stiffness in my body and I am thinking of ways that I can get this stiffness out, need to drop my left shoulder while bowling or something else. Luckily I have a fluent action. But I did spend a lot of time with Mark Boucher, Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and listen to them. Watch how they practice, things they do off the field, to see how it can make my life easier on the field. 

Is Dale Steyn a different bowler in different formats?

My preparation stays the same and I like to bowl. I have realised the older I am getting, I need to bowl more and it is no stranger thing that the older you get, the more you need to work on your body.Quinton de Kock, KG (Kagiso Rabada) are all in their early 20s; I see them in the morning, they don’t even stretch and just head for the nets session whereas I have got to do a lot of running and bowling.

I don’t see myself as a different bowler, but different formats dictate that.

In Test cricket you bowl a good ball and a batter can leave it. But, in T20 the game dictates that you need to speed up the process. You can bowl a good ball and the batter may hit it for a six. As a bowler I don’t change my plan, I try to bring the game back to what my strength is - to try and get the batters out in these three ways – aim top of off stump, LBW, caught behind & bowled.

What is best cricketing conversation you have had? Can you relive that conversation and the impact it had on you?

I think I have been talking cricket since I was 10. I believe that today even a kid can come up with options you are unaware of and hence I am also open to different options. Talking about cricketing conversations, I feel the best time is when guys open up and speak truthfully and that is what had an impact on you somewhere.

Importance of the role of a captain in a bowler’s career?

I think that the captain makes the bowler. When someone like a KG (Kagiso Rabada) steps up he is looking at his captain for some help. He needs the help of his captain to set up a field and understand where KG is trying to bowl.

I had one of the best captains in Graeme Smith. In the beginning of my career, he would turn to me whenever he needed me and put a lot of confidence in me. I also did challenge him at times with field placements, but eventually we would meet the middle ground and work together. I feel because of people like him, I am here with 400 Test wickets. I am not gloating, but (if) you have a captain who understands you, good things can happen. 

How do you read a batsman?

I am looking at body language to be honest. I try to look at things like, are they nervous, are they moving their feet? Where I am going to bowl my first 6 to 10 balls to him, because every batter is most vulnerable when he is facing the first 6-10 balls, it does not matter if you are a tail-ender or an opening batsman.

Body language is the key thing. I remember Jacques Kallis used to be sleeping in the dressing room and I remember when the Australians used to come out to bowl, they would say stuff like don’t bowl him a bouncer, because if you do, you would wake him up. Try and knock out his stumps when he is half asleep. So, I try to focus on the body language.

One dream that inspires you?

I love playing cricket. I kind of realised that I was put on earth to bowl fast and take wickets and entertain people in big stadiums. I also understand that I won’t do it for the rest of my life. I will turn 45 one day and come back to India for a holiday and no one’s going to recognise me. So this is the time when I am going to enjoy. Speed and power will go one day, but the love will always be there, so I am going to enjoy every bit of it while I’m at it. Remember good days and not take it for granted.

How would you want Dale Steyn to be remembered?

A good human being. Played the game hard but was a good guy. A game is usually remembered by numbers – but numbers is not an issue. I think people’s opinion on people is a lot more valuable.

Courtesy: IPLT20.com