'We don't see that often, and it can become a trend': Manjrekar's 'no variation' take on Akash Madhwal
Sanjay Manjrekar made an interesting remark on Akash Madhwal's bowling style after the pacer took a five-wicket haul against Lucknow Super Giants.
The Mumbai Indians will take on Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 of the 2023 Indian Premier League on Friday night, having registered a fairly straightforward win over the Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator match. Akash Madhwal was the star of the night for MI, as he recorded the joint-most economical five-wicket haul figure in the league's history. He conceded five runs and picked as many wickets in 3.3 overs, as LSG were bowled out on merely 101 while chasing 183.
Madhwal picked the opening wicket of the innings when he dismissed Prerak Mankad on 3, but his most impactful over came in his second spell when the uncapped pacer dismissed Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran off successive deliveries. While he castled Badoni, he successfully induced a thick outside edge off Pooran, with Ishan Kishan taking a simple catch behind the wickets.
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Madhwal bowled a back-of-the-length delivery and Badoni attempted a wild cross-batted shot but failed to get in the line of the ball. Following MI's resounding win, Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar recalled the dismissal and pointed out a certain aspect of Madhwal's bowling that could become a “trend” in T20 cricket.
Manjrekar stated that Madhwal didn't introduce any “variations” in any of his deliveries to Badoni; the pacer had bowled three balls to the LSG batter prior to the dismissal.
“The wickets of Badoni and Pooran showed Madhwal's class. A very different thing, that he does, that we don't see often these days, is that no variation is his variation. It could be a trend going forward. If you bowl two seam-up deliveries and they're dot balls, the batter prepares himself for a variation. He would prepare for a slower ball or a bouncer,” Manjrekar pointed out as he analysed Madhwal's bowling on ESPNCricinfo.
“Badoni, expectedly, was preparing for a variation, but Madhwal didn't make any. And that is his speciality,” the former India batter further said.
Madhwal will once again be key for Rohit Sharma and co. as the side eyes a place in the final of the 2023 season. The winners of Qualifier 2 will take on MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings in the titular clash.
