Latest news with #Bhuvi
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
3 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
No better place than out in the middle: Hazlewood on IPL stint for RCB
Josh Hazlewood's return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru after an injury break is a blessing for the franchise and good preparation for the Australian pacer, who says the intensity he is building up here will come in handy during the World Test Championship final against South Africa next month. Having recovered from a shoulder injury, Hazlewood played in the IPL after a month but showed no signs of rust, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru reach their first final since 2016 with an eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings. The performance was also a tick mark for his preparations ahead of the World Test Championship final against South Africa beginning at Lord's on June 11. "...I've got to be bowling, you know wherever I am in the world, I've got to be bowling getting ready for that game (WTC final) anyway," said Hazlewood after featuring in his first IPL game since April 27. "There's no better place than I think out in the middle, obviously you've got to bowl more, more hours of training from time to time to build up for a Test, but to get that intensity right up, there's no better place than the IPL," he asserted after a brilliant haul of 3/21. Hazlewood, who predominantly gets movement off the pitch, is known for his relentless spells in Test cricket but over time has also taken his T20 game to the next level. His hard lengths are difficult to put away and when the pitch is an absolute belter, he resorts to bowling wide yorkers. On Thursday night, the pitch here allowed him to bowl Test match lengths and he ended up with match-turning figures in his 3.1 overs. His victims included the in-form Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis, breaking the back of a self-destructing Punjab Kings. "I don't bowl too much differently in Test match cricket than tonight," said the seasoned Australian pacer. His value at RCB can't be overstated as despite playing only 11 games due to injury, he remains the leading wicket-taker for his franchise with 21 scalps at an average of 15.80. Take him out of the attack and RCB attack looks vulnerable. Talking more about his recovery from the shoulder injury, Hazlewood said, "(I have) worked really hard the last few weeks on the shoulders to get back and got some good overs into it the last sort of 10 days, and yeah it is feeling good to be back... "...So, I was happy with tonight, the wicket helped obviously didn't it? Not having to bowl fast yorkers or anything like that. So yeah it is feeling good to be back." We have got all bases covered Leg-spinner Suyash Sharma too was on the money while Hazlewood was well supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal. "We've just got all bases covered, it feels like. I think any one of the five or six bowlers can bowl at any moment of the game, whether it's the start, middle or end," said Hazlewood. "It obviously helps having Bhuvi, who has so much experience, quite a calm customer, so that sort of rubs off on the rest of their attack. I'm probably pretty similar to Bhuvi as well in that regard, everything's quite relaxed, quite calm, focus on your skill and try and execute that. "I think maybe a few of the younger guys in the attack have picked up on that and taken it into their own games." There was swing and seam on offer and RCB made the most of the conditions and bundled out the opposition for 101 before chasing the small target in 10 overs. "There was a little bit of seam movement, the bounce was probably a little bit inconsistent, so we sort of utilised that as best we could. Yeah, the conditions were great to bowl first. "Then obviously Suyash went for the middle order, he has bowled really well in spells throughout the whole tournament, but has been a little bit unlucky in the wicket-taking front, but obviously tonight got on a roll," added Hazlewood.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Why RCB bowling unit is the hidden heroes despite having only 1 bowler in Top 10 IPL 2025 wicket takers list
Josh Hazlewood isn't the top wicket-taker in IPL; that's Noor Ahmed. But the Australian has stepped up in the last two games, and the reward is more than being in striking distance of the Purle Cap (Hazlewood on 21, Noor on 24) but needing 4 wickets in the final. But while that purple cap race heats up (Prasidh on 23, Boult on 19, Arshdeep 18, Bumrah, Sai Kishore on 17 who all could get a game extra), the Aussie is revelling in how the RCB bowling unit is getting the job done, especially putting in a perfect performance in the playoff against Punjab, and its much vaunted batting order. 'I guess, throughout the innings, which we saw tonight. So, we're in a pretty good place, I think, as a bowling unit,' Hazlewood said after sealing the final spot, after puncturing Punjab with his top spell. 'I think I probably just picked up on the momentum from the last game, I think a little bit,' he said in the post-match interaction. Hazlewood also lauded the quietly brilliant RCB bowling pack and how efficiently they have operated. They aren't in Top 10, Krunal and Bhuvi are at No 14 and 15 in table with 15 wickets apiece. But they are chipping away nicely. Quietly even. And Hazlewood says it's because they are versatile in their roles, and can switch duties seamlessly. 'I think any one of the five or six bowlers can bowl in any moment of the game, whether it be the start, middle or end,' he said, adding the Indian veteran was the silent assassin. 'I think it obviously helps having Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) with so much experience, quite a calm customer. So that sort of rubs off on the rest of the attack,' he said. 'But I think when it comes down to making decisions, you know, bowling changes, what delivery we're trying to bowl, we're very relaxed and calm,' he said of a composed unit, unaffected by batters with carnage on their mind. RCB in fact has been particularly effective against the highly rated explosive batting lineups – neutering both SRH and PBKS. 'I think as a unit we've worked really well. I think everyone knows their role, everyone is different. The combination is great, it's got some good variation, so everyone's got different strengths and it's just about using them at the right times, Hazlewood, who rocked Punjab with 3.1-0-21-3 said. 'It's just clear planning, obviously, first of all, and then clear execution and committing to that delivery you're trying to bowl. So just nice, clear mindsets. And yeah, we've been doing that nicely,' he added. Mullanpur also rolled out a wicket with some juice for bowlers. 'There was a little bit in the wicket, to be honest, there was a little bit of seam movement, the bounce was probably a little bit inconsistent. So we sort of utilised that as best we could,' said Hazlewood, who is 15th on best economy. One of the unlucky bowlers has been leg spinner Suyash Sharma, whose quality of spells does no justice to his wicket count. He has bowled 48 overs, has an unflattering average of 52.87 for 8 wickets, and is 29th on best economies and strike rate of 36. Suyash stepped up in the first Qualifier though. 'Suyash (leg-spinner) bowled really well in spells throughout the whole tournament, but has been a little bit unlucky on the wicket taking front, but obviously tonight got the rewards,' Hazlewood explained of the 8.81 economy bowler. Hazlewood has Shreyas Iyer as bunny claiming him 4 times in T20 at average of 2.75, and he pointed out to the obvious vulnerability. 'Probably from a batting point from Kings XI, they probably just had to pull back a little bit and try and get a score on the board, you know, 150, 160 would have been a difficult chase potentially,' the Australian pace ace mulled, of what he was up against after returning Fri an injury layoff of the shoulder.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Josh Hazlewood's Blunt Message As Several Overseas Stars Leave IPL 2025 Ahead Of WTC Final
Josh Hazlewood's return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru after an injury break is a blessing for the franchise and good preparation for the Australian pacer, who says the intensity he is building up here will come in handy during the World Test Championship final against South Africa next month. Having recovered from a shoulder injury, Hazlewood played in the IPL after a month but showed no signs of rust, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru reach their first final since 2016 with an eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings. The performance was also a tick mark for his preparations ahead of the World Test Championship final against South Africa beginning at Lord's on June 11. "...I've got to be bowling, you know wherever I am in the world, I've got to be bowling getting ready for that game (WTC final) anyway," said Hazlewood after featuring in his first IPL game since April 27. "There's no better place than I think out in the middle, obviously you've got to bowl more, more hours of training from time to time to build up for a Test, but to get that intensity right up, there's no better place than the IPL," he asserted after a brilliant haul of 3/21. Hazlewood, who predominantly gets movement off the pitch, is known for his relentless spells in Test cricket but over time has also taken his T20 game to the next level. His hard lengths are difficult to put away and when the pitch is an absolute belter, he resorts to bowling wide yorkers. On Thursday night, the pitch here allowed him to bowl Test match lengths and he ended up with match-turning figures in his 3.1 overs. His victims included the in-form Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis, breaking the back of a self-destructing Punjab Kings. "I don't bowl too much differently in Test match cricket than tonight," said the seasoned Australian pacer. His value at RCB can't be overstated as despite playing only 11 games due to injury, he remains the leading wicket-taker for his franchise with 21 scalps at an average of 15.80. Take him out of the attack and RCB attack looks vulnerable. Talking more about his recovery from the shoulder injury, Hazlewood said, "(I have) worked really hard the last few weeks on the shoulders to get back and got some good overs into it the last sort of 10 days, and yeah it is feeling good to be back... "...So, I was happy with tonight, the wicket helped obviously didn't it? Not having to bowl fast yorkers or anything like that. So yeah it is feeling good to be back." We have got all bases covered Leg-spinner Suyash Sharma too was on the money while Hazlewood was well supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal. "We've just got all bases covered, it feels like. I think any one of the five or six bowlers can bowl at any moment of the game, whether it's the start, middle or end," said Hazlewood. "It obviously helps having Bhuvi, who has so much experience, quite a calm customer, so that sort of rubs off on the rest of their attack. I'm probably pretty similar to Bhuvi as well in that regard, everything's quite relaxed, quite calm, focus on your skill and try and execute that. "I think maybe a few of the younger guys in the attack have picked up on that and taken it into their own games." There was swing and seam on offer and RCB made the most of the conditions and bundled out the opposition for 101 before chasing the small target in 10 overs. "There was a little bit of seam movement, the bounce was probably a little bit inconsistent, so we sort of utilised that as best we could. Yeah, the conditions were great to bowl first. "Then obviously Suyash went for the middle order, he has bowled really well in spells throughout the whole tournament, but has been a little bit unlucky in the wicket-taking front, but obviously tonight got on a roll," added Hazlewood.
India Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
How Josh Hazlewood is using IPL 2025 as a platform for WTC final preparations
Josh Hazlewood has said that he is using the IPL right now to get ready for the World Test Championship final for Australia against South Africa. Hazlewood is part of the squad to play the game at Lord's, which will begin on June 11 as Australia look to retain their crown. In the IPL, the Aussie pacer was on the money in his first game back after a lengthy picked up three wickets against PBKS as RCB marched into the IPL 2025 final. Speaking at the post-match press conference, the pacer said that he has to be bowling somewhere to be ready for the WTC final and being out in the middle is the best feels that IPL is the best place to get the intensity up for the WTC final as he doesn't bowl a lot differently in Tests as compared to in the tournament. "Absolutely, yeah. I've got to be bowling, wherever I am in the world. I've got to be bowling, getting ready for that game anyway, so there's no better place than I think out in the middle. Obviously, you got to bowl more over the training from time to time to build up for a Test match, but to get that intensity right up, there's no better place than the IPL."advertisement"I don't bowl too much differently in Test match cricket than tonight, so it's still that hard length, so yeah, feeling in a good place I think," said Hazlewood.'RCB bowling has all bases covered'Hazlewood opened up on the RCB bowling unit's success and said that they have all the bases covered at the moment. The pacer also credited Bhuvneshwar Kumar for bringing in his calmness to the team and everyone is quite relaxed with the ball in feels that the younger bowlers have picked up on Bhuvneshwar's calmness and have brought it into their own game."I think we've just got all bases covered, it feels like. I think any one of the 5 or 6 bowlers can bowl at any moment of the game, whether it be the start, middle, or end. I think it obviously helps having Bhuvi with so much experience, quite a calm customer, so that sort of rubs off on the rest of the attack.""I'm probably pretty similar to Bhuvi as well in that regard. Everything's quite relaxed, quite calm, focus on your skill, and try and execute that. And I think maybe a few of the younger guys in the attack have picked up on that and taken into their own just trying to have fun out there and stay nice and relaxed and, no matter the situation, whether we're on top tonight or I think there's been a few games where we've defended the score, we've bowled some nice last few overs in games, and it's just clear planning first of all, and then clear execution and committing to that delivery, you're trying to bowl, so just nice clear mindsets and, we've been doing that nicely," said will play the final of the IPL 2025 season in Ahmedabad on June updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!Tune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#IPL 2025
Deccan Herald
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Deccan Herald
With tournament set to resume on May 17, South African players return with WTC final looming
Back at base and locked in! 🫡 Mayank, Bhuvi, Lungi, and Swapnil have checked in to the RCB HQ with unfinished business on their minds. 👊 Time to rally behind them, 12th Man Army, let's bring the heat! 🥵 This is Royal Challenge presents RCB Shorts! 📹
