Akash Deep Out of IPL with Back Injury; Doubtful for One-Off Test Against Afghanistan in June India seamer Akash Deep has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for at least eight weeks due to a stress reaction in his lower back, according to a BCCI source. The injury has also cast doubt on his availability for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in early June. The 29-year-old Bengal pacer, who last played in the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Jammu and Kashmir, has been sidelined after showing signs of reduced fitness during recent matches. The BCCI source confirmed that Deep’s injury involves a recurrence of the stress reaction, which may require 8-12 weeks of recovery. “He is not going to play the IPL and is very unlikely to be selected against Afghanistan,” the source stated. Medical experts emphasized that the healing process, combined with workload adaptation and return-to-play protocols, could take up to 10 weeks, with the possibility of further delays. Deep’s absence adds to Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) growing list of injuries, which already includes pace bowlers Harshit Rana and Matheesha Pathirana. The franchise, which finished eighth in the IPL last season, faces a significant challenge in maintaining its fast-bowling depth. KKR will now rely on domestic options such as Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, and Umran Malik, who has recently recovered from a shoulder injury. The team’s management has been actively scouting replacements, holding trials with experienced pacers like Akash Madhwal, Navdeep Saini, Simarjeet Singh, KM Asif, and Sandeep Warrier. Madhwal, who impressed with a 5/5 performance for Mumbai Indians in the 2023 Eliminator, appears to be a leading contender, though no official announcement has been made.#bcci #kolkata_knight_riders #ipl #dwayne_bravo #akash_deep
Gyro Spin vs Side Spin: What Baseball Tells Us About Lungi Ngidi’s Devilish Slower Balls One of the most memorable moments from the T20 World Cup for South African fans was another batter falling victim to Lungi Ngidi’s slower ball. The fast bowler’s off-cutter trapped Ryan Burl lbw on Sunday, securing his 90th T20I wicket—a milestone for a South African player and third overall behind Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp. The delivery, clocked at 114.3 kmph, was 23.5 kmph slower than the previous ball, a stark contrast that highlighted the effectiveness of Ngidi’s technique. Commentary from Proteas legend Shaun Pollock noted the similarity to Dwayne Bravo’s delivery, describing it as “dips on you, it comes out of the top of the hand.” Ngidi’s mastery of the slower ball has been a talking point even when he struggled against India. During a restrictive spell of 0-15 in four overs, he revealed how he refined his skills during the 2018 IPL while on the Chennai Super Kings bench. He credited Bravo, a former CSK teammate, for teaching him the art of the slower ball. But what exactly did Ngidi learn, and why are these deliveries so challenging for batters? In cricket, Ngidi’s primary slower ball is the off-cutter, a common variation for seam bowlers. Right-armers typically roll their fingers down the right side of the ball to add spin, reducing speed and creating movement off the surface. Coaches often use the “key in the door” analogy to describe the motion, emphasizing the need to turn the ball sharply. However, Bravo and Ngidi’s approach diverges from this standard technique, prompting a reevaluation of how slower balls are classified. The connection to baseball offers insight into this distinction. In baseball, pitchers classify pitches based on the axis of spin.#t20_world_cup #chennai_super_kings #lungi_ngidi #dwayne_bravo #shaun_pollock
Lungi Ngidi’s slower ball redefines T20 World Cup strategy Lungi Ngidi’s deadly slower ball has become a defining weapon of the T20 World Cup, with his ability to deceive batsmen through late dip and pace variation setting new standards. The South African fast bowler’s technique, honed through years of practice and mentorship, has earned him 12 wickets at an economy rate of 6.87, making him a key player in the tournament. Central to his success is a unique wrist snap at release, a skill he refined under the guidance of bowling coach Eric Simons and former teammate Dwayne Bravo, the master of slower deliveries. Ngidi’s journey to mastering the slower ball began during an IPL season with Chennai Super Kings, where he had limited playing time. This period allowed him to focus on developing his variation, studying Bravo’s methods and experimenting with his own approach. Bravo, with 631 T20 wickets to his name, had already turned slower deliveries into an art form, blending off-cutters with wide yorkers to keep batsmen guessing. Ngidi observed Bravo’s release mechanics closely, asking questions and adapting the technique to suit his own physicality. While raw pace had made Ngidi effective in longer formats, T20 cricket demanded more diversity. His slower deliveries, often released at speeds below 120 km/h, created an unpredictable element that batsmen struggled to adjust to. The key to his success lies in the subtle shift in hand position—fingers around the back of the ball, not over the top. This adjustment allows for a faster arm speed but a slower ball release, combined with a late dip that disrupts timing. Coach Eric Simons explained that Ngidi’s technique differs from that of Jasprit Bumrah, who uses hyper-extension of the elbow to achieve similar effects.#t20_world_cup #chennai_super_kings #lungi_ngidi #eric_simons #dwayne_bravo
