In an IPL season where 200 has become the new par score, bowlers have often looked like helpless. Flat decks, smaller boundaries and fearless hitting have pushed them to the brink, match ups have not worked. Amid the run-fests, a timely reminder came from Rajasthan Royals’ bowling coach Shane Bond. In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Bond leaped to the core of the issue. “Bowlers like Archer, Bumrah, Hazelwood are still performing exceptionally well. But the challenge now is: what are you going to do differently? You’ve operated a certain way for a long time, but you may need to adjust, look at things from a new perspective, and evolve your approach. That’s what batsmen have done – and bowlers need to do the same.”
It is not new that the batters have dominated T20 cricket with innovative strokeplay to attacking even the best deliveries. Bowlers, meanwhile, have had to constantly catch up.
On Sunday, things looked different. It was a day when bowlers dictated.
In Chennai, on a surface that wasn’t a belter but offered just enough grip and variation, Gujarat Titans’ pacers turned the game on its head. Kagiso Rabada set the tone early, striking twice in the powerplay with pace and precision. Mohammed Siraj followed up by removing Sarfaraz Khan, and his spell of 3/28 ensured Chennai never found any rhythm. It wasn’t just about wickets – it was about control, discipline, and reading conditions better than the opposition batters.
This was exactly what Bond had alluded to, doing things differently. On a two-paced track, Gujarat’s quicks mixed lengths, used the seam, and varied pace intelligently.
In Lucknow it was Mohsin Khan show. He put up a bowling masterclass.
Mohsin Khan delivered one of the standout spells of IPL 2026, ripping through Kolkata Knight Riders with figures of 5 for 23 at the Ekana International Stadium. The left-arm pacer became only the third bowler from Lucknow Super Giants to claim a five-wicket haul, producing a spell that combined skill, intelligence and composure.
He struck early, removing Tim Seifert in his opening over before sending back Ajinkya Rahane soon after. Rovman Powell fell to a well-directed bouncer, gloving it through to the keeper. And in a dramatic final over, Mohsin dismissed Cameron Green and Anukul Roy off successive deliveries to complete a sensational five-for.
Mohsin used angles cleverly, varied his pace, and attacked with a clear plan. There was a wicket maiden at the start, and his ability to keep the batters guessing ensured Kolkata never recovered, eventually limping to 155/7 – with Rinku Singh accounting for 83 of those runs.
In a season dominated by batters, Sunday was a reminder that bowlers still have the tools to fight back, if they evolve. Shane Bond’s message was already resonating.
The skilful bowlers are rethinking strategy, adapting to conditions faster, and staying one step ahead of batters who are constantly innovating.
This edition of IPL has been a revelation as young uncapped pacers have bowled at express speed, got rewards, and are shining on the wicket charts.
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