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South African speedster and Gujarat Titans (GT) pacer Kagiso Rabada has weighed in on the increasing trend of high-scoring games in the IPL, particularly the possibility of a 300-run total being achieved for the first time. His comments come after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) came close to the milestone in their game against Rajasthan Royals (RR), where they finished at 286/6, the second-highest total in IPL history.
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Rabada Calls for Balance Between Bat and Ball
While the evolution of cricket has led to bigger totals, Rabada stressed that maintaining a balance between bat and ball is crucial for the integrity of the game.
“The game has to progress somehow, but I don’t think it can just get too flat, like every single game. It would take the fun out of it. You know, then you might as well call our sport ‘Batting’ and not ‘Cricket.’ High-scoring games are good, but so are low-scoring games. There needs to be a balance maintained between bat and ball,” Rabada told Indian Express.
Handling Pressure in High-Scoring Matches
Rabada acknowledged that bowlers must adapt to modern-day batting dominance but believes cricket is at its best when matches are closely contested rather than one-sided.
“You can’t sit back and complain about the conditions. You must do something about it as a bowler. The most exciting games are the ones that hang in the balance, requiring batters to apply themselves when wickets fall or bowlers to step up. It shouldn’t be just about survival for either.”
Rabada on Reverse Swing, Saliva Ban, and Two New Balls in ODIs
With the return of saliva usage on the ball, Rabada welcomed the possibility of reverse swing making a comeback in world cricket.
“Using saliva and sweat are two different aspects… they have different textures. Let’s see how this IPL goes with saliva being used again. It’s definitely interesting.”
He also pointed out how the introduction of two new balls in ODIs has made life easier for batters, particularly in the death overs.
“In the last phase of ODIs, the finishing batters back in the day had to be more skilled because of reverse swing. It’s now easier for batters with two harder balls—they can just swing through the line. It’s much harder to hit a softer ball.”
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‘Yorkers are Still a Timeless Weapon’
Despite the changing landscape of the game, Rabada believes that a well-executed yorker remains one of the best weapons in a bowler’s arsenal.
“Yorkers, if you’re executing them, are still a very effective ball to have. The way batters can hit these days, it becomes a risk-and-reward situation. But I still haven’t seen too many batters able to put away that perfect yorker. It is extremely important for my game, and I keep trying to top up on it every day in the nets.”
Rabada’s IPL Record
📌 Matches: 81
📌 Wickets: 118
📌 Best Bowling Figures: 4/21
📌 Economy Rate: 8.50
With bigger totals becoming the norm in the IPL, Rabada’s comments highlight the growing concerns for bowlers. However, as one of the premier fast bowlers in world cricket, he remains focused on finding ways to counter the modern-day power-hitting revolution.
