Ganguly Calls for Balance in IPL as Batting Dominates
IPL 2023: Sourav Ganguly Raises Concerns Over Batting Dominance, Calls for Balance
Former 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.