It's challenging for Australia to play T20Is: Shane Watson

Melbourne, Jan 28: Arguably the most successful cricketing nation as far as Tests and ODIs are concerned, Australia have struggled in Twenty20 and all-rounder Shane Watson feels it is because the shortest format only has "entertainment value".

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"It is challenging with T20Is. Apart from the World T20, there really isn't that much riding on the series apart from national pride and wanting to win for your country," said Watson at the pre-match press conference today (January 28).

"There is no rankings or big sort of things around and its pure entertainment value, and it certainly provides a lot of entertainment. Watson said it would be a difficult task to get the right combination ahead of the World T20.

"...it is always a challenge at the back end of a summer, especially with a couple of guys going to New Zealand early and the make up of the World T20 squad going to India potentially could be different as well. It's hard to know what the make up is going to be.

"There isn't much continuity with the T20 group until it gets into the WorldT20 and it makes it very challenging to get the combination right. To know the roles of different guys and how they fit in and makes it very challenging, that's one of the major reasons why we have been so inconsistent."

The hard-hitting all-rounder said he was extremely impressed with Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah. "Seeing him in the IPL for Mumbai Indians, he has done incredibly well for them. He bowls at good pace and he is different from the way he swings the ball into the right-handers. Bringing the brand new ball in, he is able to execute his yorkers very well so there is no surprise that he has come into the Indian team and done very well."

PTI