Dale Steyn predicted that the new rule allowing two bouncers per over in IPL 2024 could significantly impact the game by making yorkers more effective and giving bowlers more control.
Cricket legend Dale Steyn shared his view on the upcoming IPL season, highlighting the potential impact of the new rule allowing bowlers to deliver two bouncers per over.
Traditionally, T20 cricket, including international T20Is, has restricted bowlers to a single bouncer per over. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Steyn explained how the additional bouncer can enhance the effectiveness of the yorker.
“A bouncer and a yorker go hand in hand. If you get [the one] bouncer out of the way too early in the over, the next ball immediately comes to your mind is the yorker, because now the batter knows you can’t bowl a length ball and he is not expecting anything short. Everything is now going to be in his half,” added Steyn.
Steyn emphasised that unlike the yorker, which can be flicked anywhere by a skilled batter, the bouncer offers more control for the bowler, “If you are bowling a yorker, the ball can go anywhere. If you don’t execute it well.”
Steyn then gave examples of batters who can pull off the yorkers effortlessly: “I know a lot of [batters] fear the yorker a little bit. But if you are bowling yorkers to batters like [MS] Dhoni, [Jos] Buttler, and Surya [Yadav], they can access parts of the field where there is no fielder.”
“Whereas with a bouncer, setting the field is much easier to control: you know the shot is potentially going to the third man, deep square, fine leg. There are not many guys who can hit a bouncer over long-off or long-on – the percentages of that happening are extremely low,” added the veterinary pace bowler.
Even Harshal Patel acknowledged the advantage of the two-bouncer rule, as he sees it as a “huge advantage” for bowlers. According to Patel, it allows flexibility throughout the over, and these extra options empower him to “package his over better.”
While the new rule gives a huge advantage to bowlers, it will be interesting to see how they utilise it throughout the tournament. The IPL season kicks off on March 22nd at Chepauk, with CSK and RCB facing each other at the grand opening.
Last Updated on March 21, 2024
