IPL has helped Sam Curran enormously: Graham Thorpe

Tags: Sri Lanka tour of England, 2021, England vs Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI at London, Jul 01, 2021, England, Sri Lanka, Samuel Matthew Curran, Graham Paul Thorpe

Published on: Jul 03, 2021

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England’s stand-in head coach Graham Thorpe has opined that featuring in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has helped Sam Curran improve his game. Curran is one of the key members of the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL. He has won games for the team with both bat and ball.

In the second ODI against Sri Lanka at the Kennington Oval in London, Curran returned with figures of 5 for 48 in England’s eight-wicket triumph over the hapless Lankans. Curran’s effort with the ball reduced the visitors to 241 for 9 despite Dhananjaya de Silva’s run-a-ball 91. Half-centuries from Jason Roy, Joe Root and England captain Eoin Morgan then took the host home

Praising Curran, Thorpe admitted that IPL has helped the all-rounder evolve immensely. He stated, "I think it's (IPL) helped him enormously. Every environment Sam has gone into, he's shown that ability to compete and an ability to find a way of putting performances in. From that perspective, playing in the IPL has put him in high-pressured situations and pushed him. His hitting ability with the bat was always there.

"I think that's progressed to a really good level. He's bowling at important times in the IPL, so he's put under pressure and challenged. At 23, he's getting some really good experiences," Thorpe added.

Thorpe, however, also warned that delivering results consistently will be among the biggest challenges for Curran going forward, being a multi-format cricketer. The former England batsman explained, "As you know, with someone like Ben Stokes, the amount of work and fitness levels that are required for that is huge. So the challenge for Sam to be a multi-format cricketer is delivering that consistency as well for England time and time again."

Having clinched the three-match series 2-0, England will look for a clean sweep when they take on Sri Lanka in the third ODI in Bristol on Sunday. England had earlier whitewashed Sri Lanka in the T20Is as well.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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