IPL 2026 play of the day: Debutant Jacob Duffy ensures RCB didn't miss Hazlewood

"I am just keeping the big fella's seat warm."

When Jacob Duffy said this after being adjudged Player of the Match in the IPL 2026 opener between RCB and SRH, it almost felt like fans had forgotten about the presence of Josh Hazlewood. Ever since the IPL was about to begin, the conversation had revolved around when Hazlewood would return for the defending champions.

After all, when RCB lifted the title, the man they called ‘Hazlegod’ picked up 22 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 17.55 and was one of the main reasons behind the triumph. But for now, it was all about filling the void left by the Australian pacer.

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So when Duffy ran in to bowl, he had arguably the toughest job on the planet. He was operating on a ground known for its short boundaries and was up against two of the most destructive batters in the IPL—Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. No pressure, right? Especially on your IPL debut.

But by the end of his third over, Duffy had sent both men packing. Then came the wicket of Nitish Kumar Reddy, and SRH’s top order was well and truly dismantled.

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He bowled four overs on the trot and, by the seventh over, was back in the dressing room, relaxing. He could have even made a quick dash to one of the Corner House outlets for their Death by Chocolate special and returned in time to watch the rest.

But why did it work? And why was it the play of the day from RCB in their thumping win?

HEIGHT MATTERS

A tall bowler is always an asset on tracks that are known to produce runs. If there is even a hint of bounce on offer, they can extract it effectively—especially when nothing else seems to work.

For RCB, this has been a template they have followed over the years. Since 2022, they have consistently relied on a tall pacer in their ranks. Hazlewood enjoyed a fine first stint, followed by the presence of Lockie Ferguson and Reece Topley, among others.

Duffy, standing just above six feet, fits the bill and appears to be the ideal foil for Hazlewood in this side.

On Sunday, the Chinnaswamy pitch seemed two-paced early on, with some swing on offer. There was also a bit of spongy bounce, which worked in Duffy’s favour.

He realised that the best way to stop 'Travishek' from going ballistic was to first restrict them and force impatience. He was also aided by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who bowled a brilliant second over at the duo.

When Duffy got his chance, he delivered. Two short-pitched deliveries rushed both Abhishek and Head, forcing them to hit straight to the fielders.

Another striking aspect was how quickly Duffy recalibrated. He was hit for a six in his first over when he strayed outside off, and a similar delivery was dispatched for a boundary by Head.

But on both occasions, the very next delivery was spot on—either beating the batter or dismissing him. The wicket of Nitish followed a similar pattern. The batter was hurried by the extra bounce and ended up spooning a catch.

All his wickets came from deliveries that were short of a good length. Interestingly, SRH tried to employ the same tactic later in their innings—but by then, they were already behind the game.

A BIT OF TEST CRICKET IN T20

What Hazlewood did so effectively for RCB last season was operate at a Test-match length. Duffy seemed to follow the same blueprint.

Apart from the couple of deliveries outside off that were punished, most of his balls landed in the good-length area. This allowed him to extract movement early and trouble the batters consistently.

Another key tactic was targeting Abhishek and Head around the top of the leg stump. This denied them room and forced them into uncomfortable shots, often swinging at deliveries they couldn’t control.

In the end, Duffy’s performance was a perfect start to a new chapter. While he may insist he is just keeping the seat warm for Hazlewood, if he continues in this vein, RCB might soon have the luxury of playing both in tandem.

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