“It does take a lot mentally. I mean, it’s a brave ball to bowl, if you ask me. Because, like I said, when I get it wrong, it can be a low full toss, or it can be a slot ball, and it can still travel for boundaries.”
Those words, in many ways, capture the tightrope modern T20 bowlers walk on – a battle between execution and risk as well as between deception and punishment. For South African pacer Lungi Ngidi, the slower ball is not merely a variation; it is a calculated gamble, which requires nerve and nuance.
“It took me almost close to a year to get the confidence to deliver this ball… when I get it right, it creates chances. It has become one of my weapons. And yes, it takes a lot of confidence to be able to run in, bowl a ball, and get it to dip on the yorker length, if we want to call it that,” he said in a media roundtable interaction, tracing the evolution of a delivery that has become arguably the most lethal ball in his repertoire.
“And like any other world-class batsman, you can still hit it for a boundary. But the difference is that when I get it right, it creates chances. And I think in T20 cricket, that’s what you want,” Ngidi added.
The pacer is not reinventing the wheel each time he bowls the delivery, but there are subtle changes in flight and revolutions, which have made the ball more effective. And in T20 cricket, where batsmen are always looking to dominate, even the slightest variation could prove to be the difference.
“If you’re going to keep bowling the same thing, he’s going to catch you at some point. You’ve got to find something different to stay relevant,” Ngidi added.
The need for relevance in the format has emerged due to the changing aspects of the sport over the last decade. Bigger bats, flatter decks and aggressive intent from ball one have meant that pace alone is not sufficient.
Story continues below this ad
“You want to create chances to take wickets, or you want to stem the flow of runs. And I was just watching the trends of IPLs over the years, and it just seems like everyone wants to see everyone bowl fast. But on these wickets, and with the bats that are being made these days, and the size of the boundaries, pace can travel. So, you’ve got to find something different to try and combat that. That’s the only way you stay relevant in this game,” he said.
Even in a format that constantly demands innovation, Ngidi insists the foundations of the craft remain intact. The T20 format may demand deception and variety, but accuracy and discipline – especially the ability to hit those hard lengths consistently – still form the bedrock of success.
“Sometimes the conditions determine how you’re going to bowl. But good test match lengths, those will never leave the game. A good ball is still a good ball on top of off-stump. That will never change.”
“The only thing I’m saying is the variations help when you’re under pressure or just to give you something different,” the pacer said.
Story continues below this ad
Amid this constant evolution, Ngidi has also found value in learning from those around him, particularly younger Indian domestic players making their way through the ranks. He singled out Auqib Nabi as one such cricketer who has caught his eye in the Delhi Capitals setup.
“When I met him, I realised how skillful a cricketer he is. He can swing the ball both ways, he can land a yorker, he bowls at a good pace, and he can hit the ball with the bat as well. So, he’s a complete cricketer and a very humble guy.”
“I wanted to meet this guy because, you know, he’s the hot topic right now within Indian cricket, and I’m not talking about internationals. The internationals, the guys are always in the news, like you always see their pictures, that’s fine. But it’s the guys that are playing Ranji Trophy and all that stuff where those obviously tournaments give them an opportunity to break through into IPLs and into the Indian team,” he said.
For Ngidi, the process of evolution is far from over. As the demands of T20 cricket for bowlers increase by the day, the need to add more tricks to the arsenal also grows with it.
Story continues below this ad
“Yeah, there is actually something I’m working on, but probably wouldn’t see it in this tournament yet. Things like this take time, but I’m always trying new things,” he concluded.
