Follow UsReece Topley bowled a fantastic spell of 3/22 against India in Nottingham, breaking their back from early on in the run-chase, which proved to be crucial for England winning the last game despite Suryakumar Yadav's heroics. Topley hit the hard lengths pretty often and cramped the Indian batters for room, resulting in a dire performance from the top order. However, he thinks cricket is less about skills than we think it is, but more about adapting the mental side of things and adjusting your game accordingly.
"Bowling these days is a bit of a thankless task but you've just got to put your hand up and be brave," Topley said. "One day it doesn't go your way and you're the villain and you have to get yourself up for the next game to try and be the hero. Bowlers nowadays have almost got more to learn mentally about T20 cricket - perhaps more than the skills.
"There's other games where things don't fall your way and you get 1 for 40, or whatever. You've got to ride the high when things fall your way because the game is pretty fickle and there's a lot of days where it doesn't."
Topley wasn’t a part of the English squad for the last year’s World Cup but his X-factor performances has made him a solid contender for this year’s event in Australia. With the impending South Africa series coming up, Topley wants to solidify his chances.
"Since the start of this year, I think I've taken all the opportunities that have come my way," he said. "But [with a] new coach and a new captain, there's new people to try and impress. In my head, it's back to square one - try to impress the right people. But ultimately it's about getting wins as a team and trying, with every game, to work out how we're getting one step closer to trying to win the World Cup in October."