Rajasthan Royals leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi believes he has turned a major weakness into his strength after putting on a match-winning display in Saturday’s Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Gujarat Titans.
Bishnoi endured his worst IPL season last year, when he managed only nine wickets in 11 games, prompting Lucknow Super Giants to release him.
The 25-year-old went through a hard grind to fix his length and claimed 4-41 to set up Rajasthan’s six-wicket victory against Gujarat.
“Last season was difficult,” Bishnoi said after collecting the award for player of the match at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
“I had one weakness, if my length was wrong, then I was getting hit for fours and sixes.
“I played a whole season of domestics and worked on perfecting my lengths. Hitting my lengths made it difficult for batters, when I was too full I got hit today too.”
That method showed up in his impressive display.
Bishnoi deceived Sai Sudharsan and Glenn Phillips with googlies and also dismissed Washington Sundar before landing the key strike of Rahul Tewatia late in the chase.
“All four are my favourite wickets, but Rahul’s wicket towards the end was important, since it came at that particular time,” he said.
“He is known to be a finisher. If he hadn’t gone out then the game could’ve gone any direction.”
It was a nervy win for Rajasthan with Gujarat threatening to pull off a 211-run chase.
Gujarat needed 15 runs from the last two overs with three wickets in hand, but Jofra Archer conceded only four in an excellent penultimate over and Tushar Deshpande gave away as many to thwart them.
IPL leaders Rajasthan are level with Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings on four points from two matches but ahead of them on a superior net run rate.
(Reuters)
