It has never been a bright future to be an IPL spinner at Chinnaswamy Stadium. Here, perseverance is required; Yuzvendra Chahal, the league’s most prolific wicket-taker, is an uncommon and renowned exception.
At a venue that rarely spares its sort, Krunal and Suyash were tasked with exerting some semblance of control with a dewy ball under the spotlights and growing pressure of a home record that threatened to ruin what has been a promising IPL 2025 campaign thus far.
During the strategic time-out, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru fielders dispersed into individual huddles, symbolising the how the first eight overs had gone. The necessary pace was lowered to a comfortable 8.33 as the Rajasthan Royals blasted their way to 99 for 2 in a chase of 205. Andy Flower, Dinesh Karthik, Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli, and Jitesh Sharma were the brains trust in the largest cluster. A little farther away, bowling coach Omkar Salvi stood brainstorming with Romario Shepherd and Yash Dayal.
After then, Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya were standing on the brink of these two encounters. They were alone, having a private conversation.
Josh Hazlewood’s four-wicket haul, which was bowled with cold, calculating precision, will rightfully be remembered as the reason for RCB’s 11-run victory. However, their two spinners—the kind of bowlers you wouldn’t expect to flourish on this trampoline-like surface—applied a subtle strangling that was equally crucial to the triumph. Particularly not this season, when spinners have frequently been ornamental and good-length deliveries from high release points have come up with tennis-ball spite. This is further evidenced by the visitors’ choice to substitute an additional seamer in Fazalhaq Farooqi for Maheesh Theekshana.
When Krunal was given the ball for the tenth over, RCB was under attack and needed a respite. The three post-PowerPlay overs had gone for 38 despite some hold and turn on the spinner’s part. The other spinner, Suyash, was an unexpected source of the break when it did occur. The umpires stepped in and asked Krunal to wait just as he was getting ready at the top of his mark. Suyash appeared to have used his cap to field in the last delivery of the previous over, a technical error that might have cost RCB five penalty runs. They wanted to review this seemingly harmless occurrence. In the end, the umpires decided that the aforementioned infraction had resulted in a “over” call and let play to continue. This time, however, RR’s momentum had been unintentionally stolen.
After this wait, captain Riyan Parag tried an audacious slog on the opening ball. It was carefully pouched and only formed a whirling top-edge. It was the sort of dismissal that changes the mood in a stadium but won’t appear on countdown loops at the end of the week.
Rajasthan’s pursuit swiftly fell apart like a badly folded origami after Krunal’s breakthrough, his first wicket in 37 balls in Bengaluru this season, was the first major crack. Patidar had Suyash and Krunal work together for the next seven overs, and the two obliged by giving up just 50 runs and four boundaries between overs 10 and 16. Though Krunal also claimed two wickets for the evening, it was fitting that they both ended up conceding the same thirty-one runs from their four overs.
Kurnal’s spell was based on a veteran’s sense of angles and slight pace changes rather than magic balls. Even though he occasionally dropped deliveries short, Suyash bowled to his field while using a sweeper and two men in the ring for the cut. Crucially, however, he maintained the pressure.
However, the Royals did. Once the PowerPlay faded, their middle-order, which was usually hesitant, fell into a well-known pattern of passivity. Aware of recent heartbreaks in the final over, Jurel attempted to bat deep but ended up eating dot balls. Rana, on the other hand, was constrained by matches against which he has, ironically, done poorly: legspin and left-arm orthodox spin.
It was a rejection of space rather than power. No easy twos, no release shots. After being so exciting early on, the innings started to stagnate. And by the time the pair was finished, the necessary rate had increased from less than nine to more than twelve with each dot and each scratched single. Something else started to change in the middle of it all. Following Yashasvi Jaiswal’s initial blitz, the Chinnaswamy audience, which had been quiet and cautious, regained its voice. Slowly, surely, the tentative murmur turned into a familiar, fierce wall of sound. It was belief coming back, not just a sound.
Nevertheless, the game still appeared to be slipping away even after the squeeze. Taking the long view, Jurel reduced it to 18 off 12. However, Hazlewood came back and bowled as though there was no pressure. A triumph that appeared doubtful at numerous moments in the defence was sealed by a fearless penultimate over that conceded just one run and claimed two wickets, including Jurel’s.
For RCB, the season has been like that. They have won five straight away games, including at Wankhede and Chepauk. Before this fourth game, Chinnaswamy Stadium had not seen a score exceeding 200 in their first three home losses.
Perhaps that’s the point, though. RCB is discovering new ways to win in a season that has exceeded expectations. To use a spin choke and a fast bowler’s heartless finish to defend a target at this ground, on a night when 99 runs were scored in the first eight overs? That is more than a mere outcome. That is an infusion of faith.
And in doing so, RCB might have discovered a technique that is unrestricted by rules or convention, which is more useful than simply two points. This night, with Bengaluru’s bright lights and loud noises, might be the turning point where their push for the playoffs gathers even more determination if the path to the playoffs is lined with times that make you question your beliefs.
India
