Sydney Sixers can be rated as one of the best franchises across the globe like Mumbai Indians if they manage to win the ongoing Big Bash League to complete a hat-trick, feels their fast bowler Tom Curran.
Sydney Sixers can be rated as one of the best franchises across the globe like Mumbai Indians if they manage to win the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) to complete a hat-trick, feels their fast bowler Tom Curran. No other team has won three BBL titles in a row. Previously, Perth Scorchers had an opportunity but they failed to do it and Sixers this year have made a decent start to their title defence, raising hopes of the historic treble. Mumbai Indians have won IPL five times while Chennai Super Kings have won it four times. Sixers currently are tied with Scorchers for most BBL titles – three each.
Curran said any team winning two or three titles in a row can be considered as one of the best.
“Any team that wins three or two titles in a row is obviously a great successful franchise. But winning three in a row will arguably make us one of the great franchise teams going around, statistically. Doesn’t matter who we are getting compared to but yes definitely we will be right up there.
“It is not an easy task but we have the quality to achieve that,” the England international said while replying to an NDTV query about Sixers’ chances of giving MI a run for their money as the best T20 franchise during a media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network.
The right-arm seamer also explained the difference between BBL and other T20 leagues in the world.
“One thing unique about the BBL is the dimensions of the different grounds and the size of them. Like in MCG, the square boundaries are massive and straight is short while at the Adelaide Oval we have short square boundaries. As a bowler and even as a batter, you have to constantly work on your tactics for the different grounds,” the Surrey cricketer said.
Curran, who had decided to pull out of last year’s BBL due to bubble fatigue, explained the rationale behind his decision.
“The bio-bubble in England during the T20 league last year was extremely tough. It was like practically living on the ground as we spent most of our time in hotels within the Old Trafford in Manchester and Ageas Bowl in Southampton. It was like opening the curtains every day and watching the grass getting cut, the wickets getting rolled and it got too much for me,” said Curran ahead of the BBL-11 clash between Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars on Wednesday (December 15).
Curran said playing cricket under bio-bubble is not sustainable as it creates a lot of mental pressure on cricketers.
“These are strange times and it definitely has a negative impact on the mind of the cricketers, including myself. It is a not a healthy way of living. You can’t go out with friends after a game and there is no release especially after tough games we have in the leagues or international cricket.
“Bio-bubbles are not sustainable and hopefully we won’t be going on like this for a long time. The bubble in Australia is thankfully not that hard and we have a bit more freedom,” he added.
Watch the LIVE coverage of The Big Bash League 2021 on SONY SIX and SONY TEN 1 (English) channels from December 5, 2021 to January 28, 2022.
Watch Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars LIVE on SONY SIX (English) channels on December 15, 2021 at 1:45 pm IST