Mitchell Santner delivered an impressive bowling performance for Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2025 clash against Delhi Capitals. In what was match 63 of the tournament, Santner’s figures of three wickets for just 11 runs, with a remarkable economy rate of 2.75, stood out prominently. He bowled 16 dot balls, equalling the most economical spell by a spinner in IPL history at Wankhede Stadium.
Santner’s spell proved pivotal, effectively stifling Delhi Capitals’ batting lineup. His contributions were praised by former cricketers Varun Aaron and Tom Moody during ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. Varun Aaron stated, “The moment Will Jacks bowled, I was thinking if Will Jacks is going to turn the ball this much, Santner is just going to run rigs around the batsman. Santner is a quality bowler, just one of those underutilised bowlers, underutilised players at CSK, never really got a long run, but he’s just showing what he’s worth the moment he stepped into Mumbai Indians’ colours.”
As for the wickets, Santner dismissed top scorers Sameer Rizvi and Vipraj Nigam, before claiming Ashutosh Sharma with a delivery that resulted in a stumping. However, it wasn’t just the slower pitch that made Santner effective. Moody explained, “And the beauty of Santner is that, on a surface like that, it’s not so much the turn is the threat, it’s the pitch being slow and his ability to change the arrival of the ball at different paces without the knowledge of the batsman. That’s what makes him lethal, his subtle change of pace without any real sign or cue for the batter is his key.”
Moody further remarked on Santner’s bowling approach, highlighting his lack of significant spin but effective pace variations, adding, “Mitchell is not a big turner of the ball, he’s never been a big turner of the ball, that’s why he’s never really grabbed hold of a Test cricket and run with it.”
Aaron also noted Santner’s physical traits which add to his deceptive bowling: “his height and his angles, he really uses the crease well. Generally, when batsmen subconsciously see a tall bowler, they just think he’s going to fire every ball in. But he actually, like Tom says, uses his pace so well.”
In conclusion, Santner’s recent performances are a testament to his adaptability and skill, proving his value to the Mumbai Indians and making a significant impact in their campaign.
