In Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) dominant win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 at New Chandigarh, legspinner Suyash Sharma’s straightforward approach played a crucial role. Seen as pivotal in the team’s success, Suyash shared that his game plan revolves around keeping it simple.
PBKS, after opting to bat first, found themselves in trouble at 59 for 5 when Suyash was introduced into the attack. His arrival swiftly put a halt to any hopes of a recovery. In his very first over, Suyash dismissed Shashank Singh with a googly, a delivery that turns in the opposite direction of a conventional leg-spin, uprooting his stumps after a mistimed leg-side heave.
The situation worsened for PBKS with the introduction of Musheer Khan as the Impact Player. Musheer’s IPL debut was brief, lasting only three deliveries before he was trapped lbw by another googly from Suyash. Later, Marcus Stoinis’s attempt to slog sweep ended with him bowled by the same tricky delivery. Suyash concluded with figures of 3 for 17 from three overs, marking his finest performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) so far. PBKS were eventually all out for a mere 101 runs.
“The coaches have told me just one thing: I have to hit the stumps, it doesn’t matter whether I bowl a googly, legbreak, or flipper,” Suyash explained after receiving the Player of the Match award. “So I try to finish as many balls as possible on the stumps. There was some help from the pitch. I think that’s why my googly wasn’t easy to pick.”
RCB captain Rajat Patidar echoed the sentiment of clarity in planning, saying, “The way Suyash chipped in, the way he bowled his line and length, that was incredible. As a captain, I’m pretty much clear about his bowling. He has to be, most of the time, on the stumps. That’s his strength. And his wrong’un is very difficult to pick for batsmen.”
Patidar emphasised the importance of transparency in guidance: “I always give him clear ideas. I don’t want to confuse him. And I’m okay if he gives some runs.”
Suyash’s simplicity in execution and RCB’s clear strategy appeared to align perfectly against PBKS, contributing significantly to their victory and a spot in the next stage of the tournament.
