NewKerala.com

Ashwin Hails RCB's Jacob Duffy as Tactical Genius After Dream IPL Debut

Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin praised Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Jacob Duffy following his stellar IPL debut, where he took 3/22 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Ashwin highlighted Duffy's ability to swing the ball both ways and his smart tactical adjustment after being hit by Travis Head. He credited Duffy for keeping the scoring in check at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, calling it a low-scoring game by its high-standard. Ashwin also previewed the MI vs KKR match, backing Mumbai Indians due to their depth and settled lineup.

Key Points: Ashwin Praises RCB Pacer Jacob Duffy's Impact on IPL Debut

  • Duffy took 3/22 on IPL debut
  • Ashwin called him an "amazing auction pick"
  • He can swing the ball both ways
  • RCB were tactically superior in execution
2 min read

"Jacob Duffy was probably the reason scoring was kept in check": Ashwin lauds RCB pacer

R Ashwin lauds RCB's Jacob Duffy for his match-winning 3/22 on IPL debut, highlighting his swing and tactical execution against SRH.

"He was probably the reason the scoring was kept in check. - Ravichandran Ashwin"

New Delhi, March 29

Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said that Jacob Duffy, who achieved the Player of the Match award on his IPL debut, said that the former can "swing the ball both ways"

Duffy took 3/22 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Speaking to Star Sports about the Kiwi seamer, Ashwin said, "When Jacob Duffy was picked at the auction, I was probably the first one to say it was an amazing pick to replace Josh Hazlewood. At that time, he was the No.1 T20 bowler. He had also taken a six-wicket haul in a Test match and is right in the prime of his career. He has bowled a lot in New Zealand and knows exactly what he is doing."

Duffy dismissed Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy within his first 14 deliveries in the IPL 2026.

"What really stood out is that he can swing the ball both ways, but he didn't try to do that against Abhishek Sharma. The first time he bowled full to Travis Head, he got pumped down the ground, a good lesson learned. After that, he stayed away from that length and bowled in very good areas. Tactically, RCB were superior, and he executed those plans beautifully. He was probably the reason the scoring was kept in check. With around 400 runs in the day, it was still a low-scoring game by Chinnaswamy standards," Ashwin said.

In the second match of the season, the Mumbai Indians will take on the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.

Speaking about the match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, Ashwin said, "I think Mumbai have gone back to their opening partnership of Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock that won them a title. It's a star-studded side, and one of the most exciting things I'm looking forward to is how Tilak Varma expands his credentials through this IPL. This time, I'm going with the Mumbai Indians. It's a purely cricketing call. There is too much depth in that side, while KKR have a few injury concerns and the team looks a little unsettled. They will need their spinners to step up, and I don't quite see that happening."

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Finally, RCB seems to have found a bowler who can deliver under pressure at Chinnaswamy! Keeping the score in check on that ground is no joke. Hope he keeps this form. 🤞
S
Sarah B
As a neutral fan, it's great to see a debutant make such an impact. Duffy's spell was the turning point. Ashwin breaking down the tactical shift after the first boundary was insightful.
V
Vikram M
Respectfully, I think Ashwin is overhyping one performance. It was a good debut, yes, but calling it the reason scoring was kept in check is a bit much. Let's see if he can do it consistently against all teams. IPL is a long tournament.
R
Rohit P
Ashwin's point about Mumbai going back to Rohit-De Kock is interesting. That's a winning combo! But backing MI over KKR? That's a bold call dada, KKR's spin attack can be dangerous on their day.
K
Kavya N
The real story is RCB's bowling finally looking decent! For years it's been about batting. If Duffy and others step up, this could be their year. Fingers crossed for the cup! 🏆

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50