IPL batting evolution forces Rashid Khan into developing secret delivery

Gujarat Titans’ star spinner Rashid Khan is working on a potential new variation. Speaking to Sports Today, Rashid admitted that the gap between bat and ball has widened significantly in recent times, forcing him to rethink and innovate.

Rashid, one of the greatest spinners in T20 history, has endured a relatively quiet phase over the past two seasons, picking up just 19 wickets in 27 matches. This stands in sharp contrast to his 2023 campaign, where he scalped 27 wickets in just 17 games.

In the interview, Rashid explained that bowlers have fallen behind in the IPL and T20 cricket in general, largely due to how rapidly batters have evolved over the past couple of years. According to him, that shift has pushed him to explore new variations to bridge the gap between the two disciplines.

“I do think about a couple of things which I haven’t bowled in the game yet. We have the leg-spinner, we have the wrong one, but there are variations I haven’t used because I don’t have that control over them yet to bowl in a match, especially in the IPL, where it’s an intense, high-pressure phase and you have to perform,” Rashid Khan told Sports Today in an exclusive interview.

“You can’t risk bringing in a new delivery at that time. I can only practise those when I’m playing ODIs, where I have a longer spell to work with. But yeah, I definitely think about it,” he added.

WHAT IS RASHID KHAN'S NEW DELIVERY?

Asked about the kind of variation he is developing, Rashid said that there are only so many options available to a leg-spinner. His focus, instead, is on refining deception - making his stock delivery and the googly look identical to the batter.

“I analyse myself and discuss things with the analyst - what better options we have, whether it’s pace, release, or ways to make it harder for the batter. So yes, I am working on a couple of things and hopefully I can bring them into the game soon,” Rashid said.

“But it’s nothing drastic. At the end of the day, you’re either bowling a leg-spin or a wrong one. There’s not much you can change fundamentally. It’s about very, very small margins. With the leg-spin and the wrong one, everything has to look the same - same grip, same action, same release. That’s something I’ve been working on over the last year, making sure both deliveries look identical,” he concluded.

Rashid’s slow start to the season has also reflected in Gujarat Titans’ results so far. GT were nearly blown away by Punjab Kings in their opening game and then suffered a last-ball defeat to Rajasthan Royals in their second match.

GT will next be in action at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday, April 8.

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