In response to the run-fest of IPL 2024, Ravi Shastri advised bowlers to stop complaining and focus on honing their skills to contain the onslaught.
The ongoing IPL 2024 season has been a festival of runs, with teams crossing the 200-run mark a staggering 25 times already. This trend has sparked debate among fans and experts, raising concerns about the balance between bat and ball.
Legendary cricketer Ravi Shastri took a strong stance in favour of the bowlers. He urged them to focus on refining their existing skills and executing their plans effectively, rather than lamenting the dominance of batters.
“Great opportunity watching this IPL for bowlers to focus on the time tested and execution of things that have lasted the test of time. Rather than in pursuit of adding baggage to your limited armour that you can’t execute. Get stuck on your strengths and focus. Great opportunity to stand out. Cut the whinging and mourning. FOCUS,” posted Shahstri on X (previously Twitter).
However, India’s star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed sympathy for the bowlers after the Punjab Kings chased down a mammoth 262-run target against the Kolkata Knight Riders, setting a new IPL record for the most successful run chase. “Save the bowlers!” Ashwin pleaded in a post on the social media platform (X).
The record-breaking chase left KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer stunned. While acknowledging the brilliance of the Punjab Kings batter, Iyer admitted his team needs to analyse their bowling strategies and adapt to the conditions.
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The contrasting viewpoints of Shastri and Ashwin highlighted the ongoing debate about the high-scoring nature of IPL 2024. While Shastri advocated for bowlers to adapt and improve their skills, Ashwin believes that the dominance of batting power needs to be addressed. Interestingly, the ‘Impact Player’ rule has also been taken under fire as one of the reasons behind high-scoring matches. Batter-friendly pitch conditions and smaller grounds are also concerns which, if addressed, might bring some respite to the bowlers.
Last Updated on April 27, 2024
