Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu suggests that Kagiso Rabada needs to focus on bowling yorkers to improve his performance in the death overs during IPL 2026. Rabada, who won the purple cap in IPL 2020, has faced challenges in recent seasons, taking only 20 wickets in 21 matches. In a recent match for Gujarat Titans against Punjab Kings, Rabada returned figures of 1-34 in three overs as his team suffered a three-wicket loss.
Rayudu pointed out that Rabada used to excel at bowling yorkers earlier in his career but may have shifted focus to cross-seam deliveries, impacting his yorker effectiveness. Dale Steyn, another former cricketer, mentioned that Rabada seemed to be struggling to find his yorker and compared his trajectory with Marco Jansen, who displayed a different bowling style with fewer yorkers and more variations.
Steyn highlighted that Rabada’s search for the yorker has led to some missed opportunities, resulting in low full-tosses and being hit for boundaries. In contrast, Jansen’s strategic use of length and occasional yorkers has proven effective. This contrast is evident in their respective bowling records, with Jansen’s clear game plan showing better results compared to Rabada’s search for form.
