The inaugural season of the IPL (Indian Premier League) was played in the year 2008. The glitz and glamour of the franchise league captivated cricket enthusiasts as renowned players from all around the world were showcasing their skills in the T20 format, which was relatively new at that time.
Many aspects of cricket developed after the advent of the league. While big-hitting batters started dominating the T20 format, bowlers continued to add new deliveries to their repertoire to keep themselves relevant. Conventional line and length bowlers who thrived in the longer formats had to reinvent themselves to disrupt the powerful batters.
The art of fast bowling went through a massive change in the IPL. Firstly, young Indian bowlers got to rub shoulders with some of the best pacers in international cricket and this helped them improve their craft. Bowlers didn’t use the Yorkers or slower deliveries with the new ball in the other formats of the game but in the IPL, they didn’t shy away from bowling them even during the first over of the game.
The IPL has unearthed several fast bowlers who have done well for the national team later. Two of India’s most reliable bowlers in the current setup – Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj became household names after representing their respective IPL franchises, before going on to become stalwarts for the country. Arshdeep Singh is another pacer who has been a consistent performer for Punjab Kings since his debut and has also done well for the Men in Blue.
In 17 editions, the coveted IPL Purple Cap, which is given to the highest wicket-taker in a particular season, has been won by only three spinners. The rest of the 14 seasons have seen fast bowlers at the top.
In recent years, the likes of Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi, Mohsin Khan, Yash Dayal, and many other young seamers have impressed experts and fans with their skill sets. More and more pacers who can bowl at speeds of over 140 kmph are coming through the ranks. However, their emergence cannot be attributed only to the IPL because India’s phenomenal domestic cricket setup has played a key role as well.
The IPL has not just revolutionized fast bowling among the Indians but the international players have also been able to hone their skills, bowling to some of the finest batters in world cricket on surfaces which are mostly high-scoring.
Therefore, there are many ways in which the cash-rich tournament has revolutionized fast bowling and these were some of the points of note.
