New Zealand all-rounder reveals long-term tactical plan to counter left-arm spin ahead of major tournaments

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Glenn Phillips has never been one to follow convention, and his occasional switch to left-handed batting is just another example of his innovative cricketing mindset. The New Zealand all-rounder recently explained that the tactic has been “in the pipeline for a couple of years”, designed primarily to counter left-arm spin bowling in T20 cricket.

Phillips’ latest experiment came during the Super Smash T20s, where he briefly took guard as a left-hander and promptly dispatched the ball for six. While it may have appeared spontaneous, the move was anything but accidental.

“I do enjoy my left-handed batting training,” Phillips said ahead of New Zealand’s white-ball tour of India. “Obviously, I do it for multiple reasons. One, just to keep both hands and both sides of the brain working, but also for the opportunity to take down left-arm spin at some stage.”

In modern T20 cricket, the ball turning away from the batter is widely regarded as a favourable match-up. This is why teams often rely on left-arm orthodox spinners, given the high proportion of right-handed batters. Phillips’ ability to negate that advantage by batting left-handed offers New Zealand an intriguing tactical option.

However, the 27-year-old insists the approach is not something fans should expect regularly.

“It’s more of a future thing,” Phillips said. “But if there’s a game where there’s going to be a lot of left-arm spin, it makes sense to bring it back to the forefront of training. The fact that the opportunity came during the game was quite good.”

Ironically, opposing bowlers have attempted to counter the switch by bowling wide outside off stump, limiting Phillips’ slogging options. Even then, he has shown the ability to hit cleanly through the line, underlining the depth of his preparation.

Phillips revealed that batting left-handed is not a recent development.
“I’ve always been able to bat left-handed. When I was about 10, I nearly switched full-time but decided to stick right-handed. Around 20 years old, during Super Smash, I started working on it seriously because every team has a left-arm orthodox spinner.”

Since then, he has regularly faced both pace bowlers and spinners left-handed in the nets, waiting for the right moment to deploy it in a match.

That moment recently arrived when Phillips, unbeaten on 83 with two balls remaining, took guard as a left-hander for Otago Volts in a domestic game — a glimpse of what could become a valuable asset.

With the T20 World Cup in the subcontinent on the horizon and an extensive white-ball tour of India offering a preview of spin-friendly conditions, Phillips believes the timing of his preparation is ideal.

“The preparation is going to be perfect,” he said. “You never quite know what sort of pitches you’ll get, especially in the subcontinent. But having options against spin is always going to help.”

For now, Phillips’ left-handed batting remains a situational weapon — one reserved for specific match-ups or moments when there’s little left to lose. But with years of planning behind it, it could yet play a key role on the biggest stage.