Cricket

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 has witnessed a significant disparity between batsmen and bowlers, with batters accumulating runs at an unprecedented rate. To address this imbalance, legendary Indian cricketer Anil Kumble has proposed several measures to enhance the challenges faced by bowlers.Kumble suggests increasing the size of boundaries at all venues, maximizing the distance batters must cover to score runs. He also advocates for a more pronounced seam on white balls, which would provide bowlers with greater movement and swing. These changes, he believes, would restore a balance between bat and ball.The current run rate in IPL 2024 stands at 9.57, the highest in the tournament's history. Over 250 scores have surpassed eight runs per over, and a record 1133 sixes have been hit. This has put immense pressure on bowlers, who have struggled to contain the onslaught of runs.Kumble emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between bat and ball, arguing that an overemphasis on batting could lead to a decline in the number of bowlers willing to participate in the game. He believes that the proposed changes would provide bowlers with a fairer chance of success.The former Mumbai Indians chief mentor also commented on the team's disappointing season, which has seen them eliminated from playoff contention. Kumble suggests that the transition from Rohit Sharma to Hardik Pandya as captain may have been too abrupt and that Sharma could have continued leading the team for another year.Kumble also praised Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill for his aggressive approach in his first year as an IPL captain. Despite the team's failure to qualify for the playoffs, Kumble believes that Gill has shown promise and will learn from his experiences.Regarding Rajasthan Royals, who have qualified for the playoffs but are on a losing streak, Kumble expressed concern about their current form. He attributed their struggles to inconsistent batting and injuries, but remains optimistic that they can regain their momentum in time for the playoffs.

Mohammed Siraj Laments Lack of Bowler Support in Modern T20 CricketRoyal Challengers Bangalore pacer Mohammed Siraj has expressed his frustration over the lack of assistance for bowlers in contemporary T20 cricket. He attributes the proliferation of 250-plus totals to smaller grounds and flat pitches."Nowadays, 250-260 is scored in every second match," Siraj remarked after RCB's successful chase of Gujarat Titans' 201-run target. "Earlier, 250 was a rare occurrence."Siraj emphasized the challenges faced by bowlers due to the absence of swing and the prevalence of flat wickets. "There is no help for bowlers," he said. "Bowlers can just keep playing and keep getting hit."The ongoing IPL has witnessed a surge in high-scoring matches, with the 250-run mark being breached eight times. Teams have adopted an aggressive approach, utilizing the 'Impact player' rule and exploiting the favorable batting conditions.Despite the adversity, Siraj remains determined to maintain his self-belief. "As a bowler, you have to keep the self-belief," he said. "I have seen lots of ups and downs in life, so I don't give up if 1-2 matches don't go my way."Siraj acknowledged the role of luck in T20 cricket but stressed the importance of minimizing errors. "T20 is all about luck," he said. "I keep working on my flaws during training."Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans' Sai Sudharsan admitted that his team needs to win all remaining matches to qualify for the playoffs. "Winning all the games is the only possibility which we can see," he said.Sudharsan praised the RCB batters for their clinical chase, attributing it to the improved pitch conditions. "The wicket got a little better under the lights," he said.

IPL 2023: Sourav Ganguly Raises Concerns Over Batting Dominance, Calls for BalanceFormer India captain Sourav Ganguly has expressed concerns over the imbalance between bat and ball in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Ganguly highlighted the challenges faced by bowlers on flat pitches and the impact of additional batting firepower through Impact Players."Not easy for the bowlers. They are being carted all over and that's one area that needs to be looked at in the future, the balance between bat and ball," Ganguly said ahead of the Delhi Capitals match against Mumbai Indians.The pitches in this edition of the IPL have predominantly favored batsmen, with teams consistently surpassing the 200-run mark due to the presence of prolific power-hitters in every lineup. Ganguly's remarks underscore the need to restore equilibrium in the competition.The IPL governing body has implemented a rule allowing bowlers to deliver a maximum of two bouncers per over, aiming to restore balance between batting and bowling in the tournament. However, some have flagged the 'Impact Substitute' rule as one of the reasons behind the high-scoring matches imbalance. Teams are now essentially playing with an extra batter, which gives them the freedom to go hard at the bowlers, leading to scores of 230 reaching 260-270.The Delhi Capitals have scored over 400 runs in the two games they have played at their home venue. Last week at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, SRH amassed 125 runs during the powerplay. Opener Travis Head scored a blistering 16-ball fifty on his way to a sensational 89 off just 32 deliveries."Our batting is also strong, we have given away 400 runs but scored them too. The wicket here is too good, batting friendly wicket," Ganguly added.The former BCCI chief is not the only one who has expressed concern for the bowlers. Legendary Sunil Gavaskar had earlier called for bigger boundaries.