IPL 2025: Starc Stuns with Precision Yorkers in Death Overs Mastery

New Delhi, April 17 (NationPress) In sports like shooting, archery, and darts, achieving the bullseye is paramount. Striking that small center in the scoring zone demands precise accuracy and remarkable self-discipline, making it challenging for athletes to consistently earn points.

In cricket, for fast bowlers, delivering a yorker is akin to hitting a bullseye. It's a type of delivery that everyone longs to see consistently, as it is notoriously difficult for batters to connect when executed perfectly by bowlers. Yet, its slim margin for error means that a yorker can dramatically alter a team's prospects.

If a bowler makes even the slightest miscalculation in length, it opens the door for batters to crush those turned full tosses and half-volleys for boundaries. The bullseye with the white Kookaburra ball was something the Delhi Capitals (DC) yearned for in their defense of 188/5 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on a balmy Wednesday night at their original home ground, the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

With 31 runs required from 18 balls and Nitish Rana just completing his second fifty of the season, DC entrusted the 18th over to Mitchell Starc, who began with two off-cutters and a low full toss. However, after switching to an over-the-wicket angle, Starc produced his version of a bullseye – swinging in (thanks to reverse swing aided by saliva) to hit a shuffling Rana's boot and trap him lbw.

Although Shimron Hetmyer managed a lucky boundary off the inside edge, the tension escalated when the equation for RR was nine runs needed off the last over. For RR, it seemed achievable, considering Starc had the old ball in hand, compounded by heavy dew.

Starc summoned all of his energy to deliver pinpoint yorkers, interspersed with two on-field meetings with skipper Axar Patel, as Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel were forced to settle for singles and twos before the latter was run out on the final ball while attempting a second run.

As anticipated, DC selected Starc for the Super Over, where he relied on his accurate yorker, the shining armor in his bowling arsenal. Despite conceding a no-ball while bowling around the wicket to Riyan Parag, Starc limited RR to 11 runs and forced two run-outs.

The target of 12 runs was sufficient for DC to secure victory and reclaim their top position in the points table in front of an excited home crowd, all thanks to a relentless force named Starc.

Axar, the DC captain, also emphasized how a combination of saliva and the lack of grass on pitches aided Starc in achieving the perfect reverse swing formula.

"Since we can use saliva this season, and with not much grass on the surface, you can induce reverse swing. I believe it’s fair for bowlers, considering the current state of the grounds, batsmen's bats, and the nature of run-scoring.

"We're seeing scores around 180-190, which adds excitement because it's competitive cricket, and it’s not as if bowlers are without assistance. I feel we can achieve reverse swing due to saliva usage.

"Getting reverse swing is one thing, but executing it is crucial. It was reversing, but under pressure, he (Starc) executed it. I kept reminding him to stay clear with his plans and trust himself. His response was: 'Don't worry, skip. I've got this,'" he said at the post-match press conference.

Amid the rising tension on the field and the audience's heart rates escalating, Starc remained mentally focused on his task – delivering yorkers with precision. “When he bowled the 18th over, I realized he was executing the yorker correctly, as he knew precisely where to aim. In the powerplay of T20 cricket, you can get hit, but how do you bounce back?

“That’s what illustrates why he is such a significant player, a legend for Australia. His mindset, when I converse with him, is clear: if he gets hit, he doesn’t want to bowl. He is focused on his strategy. When he comes in for the 19th and 20th overs, he tells me how he will execute it. His clarity in planning allows him to deliver more balls, showcasing the strength of his mindset," Axar added.

Nitish Rana, whose dismissal by Starc paved the way for DC’s remarkable comeback through a death overs masterclass, also expressed admiration for the pacer and his yorker-hitting abilities. “The wicket was slightly tricky and obviously not easy for a new batter, as the ball was stopping and turning. Plus, the difference we observed from saliva, the reverse swing that Starc generated, deserves credit.

“However, the impact of saliva was significant. In the past 2-3 years, we didn’t use saliva, so our batting practice was different, as reverse swing wasn’t prevalent, whether in red-ball or white-ball cricket. Now, suddenly, if in the last 2 overs, out of 12 balls, 11 yorkers are executed at 145 pace, aided by reverse swing, I believe the credit should go to Starc for his bowling. I haven’t seen such death overs bowling in IPL for a long time,” he stated.

The match didn’t start well for Starc, as Yashasvi Jaiswal scored runs against him in the powerplay. Nevertheless, his consistently dependable death bowling continues to impress, with his signature yorkers consistently landing in the blockhole, a skill reminiscent of the precision seen in shooting, archery, and darts, leaving everyone in awe once again.