MUMBAI: On sub-continent pitches, Indian Premier League (IPL) can be tough for the fast bowlers. Even express pace doesn’t really hold any fear because of the slower nature of surfaces with the batters thriving on the ball coming onto the bat faster.
Ask Jofra Archer. In Sunday’s game at Hyderabad, the Rajasthan Royals fast bowler had the ignominy of conceding 50 runs in just 2.4 overs, inside the 13th over of the innings. He ended with figures of 4-0-76-0 — the most expensive spell ever in IPL — as Sunrisers Hyderabad amassed 286, the second highest IPL total.
In these conditions, there’s simply no place to hide. When in the firing line, variations and clever changes of pace is the bowler’s best bet.
With the quality of bats getting better and the players improving in power-hitting, there is no way to escape punishment, unless you are good in the art of disguising your deliveries. South Africa spearhead Kagiso Rabada vouches for the importance of constantly changing the pace in T20s for a fast bowler.
“You can’t be monotonous all the time because the batter will eventually read the pace you are bowling at. Change of pace is good because of the deception in the hope that the batters will mistime their shot and play a false shot,” says Rabada, who will be leading the Gujarat Titans attack this season.
Rabada was talking around the same time the SRH versus Rajasthan Royals match on Sunday afternoon was one. Archer, the England fast bowler and among the tournament’s fastest bowler, was being hit for nearly 20 an over.
Sharing his expertise on the variations, the South Africa pace ace said the slower balls can be used both as a defensive or attacking weapon. “It could be used as both. You are trying to get the batter out, trying to upset the batter’s rhythm. If you are trying to upset his rhythm, trying to induce a false stroke, that’s the effect of it.”
As to the timing of the delivery? “It is all about the conditions, depends on what the wicket is doing, you can bowl one at any time,” said the seasoned 29-year speedster who has 566 international wickets. He has 226 T20 scalps at an economy rate of 8.00. His IPL numbers are 117 wickets in 80 games (ER 8.48).
Among his variations, he lists the most effective one as “the standard off-cutter”.
In the high-pressure league, the decision to lift the saliva ban will be an advantage for the fast bowlers. “Perhaps saliva (applying to shine the ball) will get everybody’s energy up, may be the ball will reverse, let’s wait and see,” said Rabada.
Bought in the November auction by GT for ₹10.75 crore, the sprawling 114,600-seater Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, will be his home ground this season. Rabada is looking forward to the experience of playing in front of Titans’ supporters. “Hope it can get sold out once or twice, it will be great.”
For the Johannesburg-born player, who is used to playing at the Bullring, as The Wanderers Stadium is known, the Indian stadium that reminds him of his home ground is Mumbai’s Wankhede. “Yeah, the energy is electric at the Bullring, just like the Wankhede.”