IPL 2025: Flower Acknowledges Spin Strategy Boosted Run Rate

Synopsis

In IPL 2025, RCB's victory over Rajasthan Royals at M Chinnaswamy Stadium was anchored by Josh Hazlewood's bowling and strategic spin play from Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, emphasizing the significance of using spinners to control the run rate.

Key Takeaways

RCB's effective spin strategy played a key role in their victory.
Krunal Pandya's experience was pivotal for the team.
Flower praised the adaptability of the batters in challenging conditions.
The win boosts RCB's chances of making the playoffs.
Strong performances at home are vital for RCB's momentum.

New Delhi, April 25 (NationPress) In addition to Josh Hazlewood’s impressive 4-33, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) defense of 205/5 at their home ground M Chinnaswamy Stadium was significantly bolstered by the exceptional middle-overs performances from the spin duo Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma.

Krunal and Suyash allowed only 62 runs in their combined eight overs, with Krunal taking crucial wickets of Riyan Parag and Nitish Rana. During this phase, RCB saw a batting surge thanks to Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal. However, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) couldn’t replicate that success in their chase, largely due to the tight bowling from Krunal and Suyash.

Following RCB's first home victory of IPL 2025, a narrow 11-run win over Rajasthan Royals, head coach Andy Flower emphasized that the team's strategy relied on the effectiveness of their spinners over the eight overs to manipulate the run-rate and restrict the opposition.

"Krunal was a vital acquisition for us during the auction. We had set our sights on him due to his all-round skills and extensive experience. He has a background of winning the IPL, has captained in the league, and played internationally. He possesses a solid cricketing intellect and a competitive spirit, which I truly admire," stated Flower.

"His brother, Hardik Pandya, shares this competitive edge. Krunal's selection was crucial for us, and he has collaborated effectively with Malo (Malolan Rangarajan, head scout and assistant coach), who excels as a spin bowling coach and all-round mentor. Their discussions on tactics have been highly beneficial for Krunal," he added.

Flower praised Rajat for maintaining composure throughout the match, noting that the ball spun consistently, even when slightly wet. "Utilizing our eight overs of spin effectively created several opportunities, allowing us to steer the run rate favorably," Flower remarked after the match.

RCB's home win not only marked their first of IPL 2025 but also elevated them to third place on the points table, enhancing their playoff prospects. Flower acknowledged that this victory might serve as a momentum shift, especially with three more home matches ahead.

"This win was crucial for us. We have played four home games and lost the toss each time. We understand that defending a target here is challenging. In our first three games, our bowlers and fielders performed exceptionally well to keep us competitive despite being below par on scores," he noted.

“Observing our batters adapt to the conditions was incredibly rewarding. I felt immense pride in their performance. Our dedicated supporters were eager to witness our success at home, especially since we had shown promise in away games. With three more home matches, it's vital for us to deliver strong performances in these conditions, and it was wonderful to entertain our fans," he concluded.