'A breath of fresh air' for a team on the rise, according to Ireland men's cricket team wicketkeeper-batsman Lorcan Tucker, who also stated they are hopeful of a strong showing in the 2017 T20 World Cup.
"Heinrich has been a breath of fresh air. He's pushed us to adopt new perspectives and strategies in order to get the desired effects. The fact that the team is in such good mental shape going into this competition is no coincidence "In preparation for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup later this month, Ireland held their first practise session in Melbourne on Monday, according to Malan.
Tucker described Malan's impact on the team as "on a personal level, he's always trying to get the best out of every player and I've got a newfound feeling of self-confidence in the last few months."
26-year-old Tucker, who has played in 42 T20Is, made his T20I debut against Hong Kong in 2016. His highest score in T20Is was 84 against the USA. He has four half-centuries in T20Is. Since he moved up to the third spot in the batting order, all of his half centuries have occurred.
Tucker discussed the recent home campaign in Ireland and noted that it was pretty interesting, adding that the club would keep up its new, aggressive style of play that Malan had instituted.
It was an odd summer at home because, despite how good we thought we were playing, there wasn't anything to show for it. The major lesson, in my opinion, is that we now understand we are operating at the appropriate level.
"In the past, it could have seemed as though we were trailing those more powerful teams and not quite keeping up with them, but we can be very confident after this summer's performances. During a Monday media conference, he added, "I feel like we have the qualities to win, and it's just a matter of time until it begins occurring frequently.
Ireland finally achieved a spirit-boosting series victory over Afghanistan in August despite close games against India and New Zealand.
"Although we've fought several fantastic fights with Afghanistan, I believe this one was particularly noteworthy given the setting. We haven't always been good at 20-over cricket, and the statistics will undoubtedly show you that we've lost quite a few T20Is against the Afghans. Being able to reverse history and win a series immediately before a World Cup was very motivating for us going into this month "he said.
Tucker's promotion to the third spot in the T20I squad this year has marked a significant improvement on the personal front.
"I've had a fantastic opportunity to bat at number three. I've welcomed the added responsibility, and I believe it fits my batting style well. It's a fantastic opportunity to get the team moving, whether setting or chasing, and it's a position I look forward to playing going forward."
Looking ahead, Tucker thinks his teammates must maintain the upbeat attitude toward T20Is they demonstrated during the summer as they begin the first of their two official warm-up games against Namibia on Tuesday at the MCG.
"We've had a lot of T20 cricket experience this summer, in my opinion. We needed to feel like we were keeping up with the game's rapid evolution. It's always been about trying to be aggressive for us. We aim to take wickets consistently throughout the innings while scoring swiftly and effectively. In T20 cricket, there's a good risk the opposition will overwhelm you if you can't get the upper hand. We don't want to provide them with that opportunity "Added he.
Tucker said the mood in the team is high despite suffering a first-round loss in the T20 World Cup last year and claimed it will bring extra incentive as Zimbabwe, Scotland, and West Indies are coming up in the first round.
"Although last year was incredibly upsetting, there is always a chance to rebound in international cricket, which is fantastic. The fact that another T20 World Cup is taking place so soon after the previous one is extremely good for us. This year, I believe, our T20 cricket is in much better shape. It's crucial to try and combine the talents and drive so that they work together to perform on the day "Tucker added.