After watching Sunrisers Hyderabad’s blitzkrieg show against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, former South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn admitted that while he is glad he is no longer an active cricketer, the 40-year-old pointed out an opportunity in disguise for the bowlers in IPL 2024, which the batters have so far ruled.
IPL 2024 has been a high-scoring season with 15 200-plus totals in just 35 matches so far, of which the 250-run mark has been breached five times already, the most in a single season in the league’s history. Sunrisers own three of those scores, having notched up 277/3 against Mumbai Indians, which then emerged as the highest-ever total in IPL, before they smashed their record by clobbering 287/3 against RCB at the Chinnaswamy and later on Saturday, smashed 266/7 against Delhi.
Sunrisers rode on another batting masterclass from Travis Head, who scored 89 off just 32 balls, which included a 16-ball fifty, the joint fastest this season, while Abhishek Sharma notched up 46 off just 12 balls as the openers amassed a record 125 runs in the powerplay, the most ever by any side in T20 history. Down the order, SRH found support from Shahbaz Ahmed, who laced five sixes in his 29-ball 59 not out as the visitors in New Delhi recorded this third highest total this season.
Amid the carnage, Steyn reckoned that the IPL 2024 season offers bowlers the best opportunity to stand out from the lot and become “a wanted God”, implying that an economical performance in a season having the highest run-scoring rate will automatically raise the value of a bowler.
Steyn tweeted: “I could make a joke and say I’m glad I’m retired and no longer bowling, but…It’s always a good time to be a bowler, if you can make yourself the best, you’ll be a wanted god among mere mortals. The slayer of rampaging runs! Insensitive’s have never been higher. I’d wana be a bowler more than anything!
When subtly asked by a fan whether Steyn’s post referred to Jasprit Bumrah, the South Africa legend agreed.
The fan said: “Just shorten it and say, ‘Be a Jasprit Bumrah!’” And Steyn replied saying: “Well, exactly that.”
Bumrah is not only the current Purple Cap holder with 13 wickets for Mumbai Indians in seven games so far, but has also been the most economical bowler this season (among 57 players who have at least bowled 60 deliveries), having conceded at just 5.96 runs per over. The MI quick has not only been a potent weapon for the franchise with the new ball, but has been phenomenally restrictive in the death overs as well, where he picked six wickets (most in IPL 2024) at an economy rate of just 6.89.
