ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2021

November 4, 2021

Mitchell Santner

Sharjah Stadium

New Zealand

Pre Match Media Conference

Q. You've done some scouting and reflection on yesterday's game. What were the takeaways for you guys as you head into the game against Namibia tomorrow?

MITCHELL SANTNER: We obviously reflected on yesterday in Scotland. It was a pretty good game. Built massively about the parts between Guptill and Glenn Phillips and it was pretty good. And we move on to Sharjah where it's a completely different wicket, different team.

Namibia, we did our scouting before. See what works, what we're trying to do against them and ultimately come out ready tomorrow.

Q. On your own bowling so far, you've been slogging under the radar going pretty economically without potentially taking wickets, but I suppose they've been picked up by the other bowlers. How do you see your role in the bowling lineup?

MITCHELL SANTNER: Obviously as a collective we've began pretty good as a unit. I guess as a spinner, me and Ish, we're two -- I'd say he's probably more the aggressor. My role is to deny runs. It kind of forces the big shot at the other end. And we've seen each get the wickets, he's bowled extremely well. I'm pretty happy floating around the radar and go under run a ball.

Q. Looking towards Namibia, not that you would have needed a reminder by Scotland, but these minor associations, they're certainly here to play; they're dangerous teams, aren't they?

MITCHELL SANTNER: They are for sure. Especially in T20 cricket. There's an upset just around the corner. We've got to be ready. We've got to treat it as just another match, not look too far ahead, obviously.

And we've seen the wicket at Sharjah can be tricky, and it brings both teams back into it. So Namibia have played some good cricket. And so we've just got to be ready for that, ready what the pitch is going to bring us tomorrow. A day game. Obviously something new again at Sharjah. We've obviously got to be ready tomorrow.

Q. Three games in five days. Obviously no trainings, but what does it look like for you guys, and what are the priorities as you look to finish off the play?

MITCHELL SANTNER: We had a bit of the break at the start. Days between. Like you said now, it's pretty full on. All day games as well. So it takes a lot of out of you during the day here in Dubai and the UAE. So the days off look a bit of scouting, a bit of reflection, a lot of rest, to be fair.

The work's already been done leading to this tournament or at the start. So now the boys are just ready to play. And when there is time to rest, you've got to rest, because it comes pretty quick from now even if you make the series and so on. So I think the guys are just a bit of pulse on, a bit of recovery today no doubt.

Q. How much different are you seeing the conditions obviously here from the IPL, how much different are you seeing the conditions and are they sort of changing, or have they changed from that tournament?

MITCHELL SANTNER: I think they've changed a little bit. I think all three grounds are extremely different and you've got to be aware of that playing. I think Sharjah has probably got a little bit better. We saw some really low scores in the IPL. Dubai and Abu Dhabi looks very good now.

So, yeah, obviously being here in the IPL, you know, being around the teams, seeing the conditions, it's obviously a benefit seeing what the conditions play, what works, what doesn't.

You kind of relay that feedback to everyone. As a bowling unit you kind of know what ball works the best and then if you have to change or go to plan B you're willing to adapt as well.

Q. Generally we see bowlers also and players how about your partnership with Ish Sodhi. This is becoming. If so, with New Zealand, a time killer for positions?

MITCHELL SANTNER: Yeah, I guess I think the benefit is me and Ish have played together for a long time now. And we've bowled in New Zealand where the wickets can be quite tricky for spinners, small grounds, flat wickets.

So really trying to find a good length, changing your pace. So when we go into these kind of tournaments where there's kind of flat you've got to be at your best and I guess we kind of work well together where the roles I guess of me and him are very different on our team depending on the surface.

And we've seen a lot of cricket I guess played in a few different conditions now. So it's nice.

Q. You've played against a player different captains, MS, Kane Williamson, other captains in your history of cricket as well. Among all the captains you've played, what have you learned from different captains like MS and Kane Williamson?

MITCHELL SANTNER: I guess every captain's different in the way they approach it. Obviously lucky enough to be around MS for three years at Cheena. I guess pretty similar, keep it pretty simple. Very relaxed. MS is very instinctive out there. If he feels something heal run with it and generally it pans out.

So obviously getting experience under different guys, different ways, they are leaders, obviously. I'd say I guess the way we're kind of set up at the moment everyone's been around the team for a while now and Kane has the respect of everyone and goes about his business and backs everyone to perform and there's no added pressure behind that.

Q. Just wanted to ask you, what are the adjustments you've had to make while bowling in these UAE conditions?

MITCHELL SANTNER: I think the biggest probably adjustment is obviously there's a bit of difference playing in Sharjah versus outside the other two grounds where I guess in New Zealand you're looking for a bit of bounce, trying to bowl hard link to get a bit of bounce you don't really get that at Sharjah it actually sets up.

I guess the guys that have done well at Sharjah are the guys that are skitty out in the front and keeping it low. I guess that's probably the biggest adjustment for me and Ish where in the past you look for that over spin and bounce where it's a little less effective in Sharjah. So we've got to think about it going into tomorrow's game, is it out of the hand or more side spinners versus the traditional overspin.

Q. Especially after India's big win yesterday, how important does the net run rate now become?

MITCHELL SANTNER: I think the nature of each group being very tight run rate is going to play a part. I guess for us it's just about winning the next two games and where we're through. I think especially at a ground like Sharjah, if you're trying to win or win by a lot, it can be quite challenging. Just with the way the surface is.

So I think we've just got to look first at just playing our best cricket at Sharjah and beating Namibia and then moving on from there and seeing what Abu Dhabi has for us against Afghanistan.

But I guess it's in our control. If we win two games, we're through. So I don't think we need to look too much into the net run rate.