IPL 2018: 5 pacers who would be their captain's delight in the slog overs
Why is it that pacers like Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav work very well for India in Test matches but as soon as the limited-overs leg begins, they are found warming the benches? It is their very pace and wicket to wicket bowling which is imperative in five-day cricket but proves to be their nemesis in the shorter formats of the game.
Gone are the days when fast bowling was all about physical strength. Now it has as much to do with your intellect, if not more, as it’s about your physique. In line with the same, pacers have now come up with several variations to fox the batsmen and succeed in the T20 circuit.
As far as the IPL is concerned, bowling in the middle overs is still relatively easier but when it comes to the slog overs, the batsmen are well prepared to go hammer and tongs at each delivery. Still, there are some quick bowlers who are crafty enough to get the better of the batsmen even in the last few overs of the innings.
Here is a list of five such pacers who would be captains' delight in the slog overs in this year’s IPL.
#5 Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada is one of the few tearaway pacers left in world cricket, a breed which is close to extinction. After Dale Steyn became injury prone and his performance started waning, it was Rabada who shouldered the responsibility as the leader of the Protea attack.
KG would continue to represent the Delhi Daredevils this year and would bowl alongside either Mohammed Shami or Trent Boult in the slog overs. Rabada not only has searing pace but also has the ability to hit hard lengths which are very difficult to get underneath. He also has a quick yorker which can hurry the batsmen.
With the pace that the South African has, his slower ones also catch the batters off guard. This is part of the reason why Right to Match card was used by DD for him in this year's IPL auction.