Learning Slower From Bravo At CSK During 2018 IPL Changed it All: Ngidi

Ahmedabad: For Lungi Ngidi, the turning point in his evolution as a good T20 bowler came not on the international stage but in the training nets of the IPL. A largely forgettable 2018 season in terms of game time with the Chennai Super Kings eventually saw him reshape his craft as the hours he spent observing and learning from Dwayne Bravo turned his slower spinner into a decisive weapon.

Ngidi, who posted tidy figures of 0 for 15 in four overs, including 10 dot balls, against India in Sunday’s T20 World Cup match, once again displayed the subtle variations that have become central to his T20 arsenal. He repeatedly mixed and matched between wide yorkers.

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav struggled to line him up, often shaping it to work on what he predicted would be a cut on the leg side, but came up with a different variation.

Tracing the roots of his transformation, Ngidi said: “As I have always said, I was in the IPL with Bravo in 2018 and practiced the entire IPL. I wasn’t playing, so I had time to practice. And then when I came back to South Africa, I tried to perfect the ball.”

He admitted that mastering the art of change is a gradual process.

“Whether it’s a slow ball yorker, a back ball, a slow ball bouncer. So three different lengths with the same ball. I guess you have to guess which one comes next,” he said.

Although not the focus of opposition planning, Ngidi believes anonymity is to his advantage.

“I think I just fly under the radar. So not a lot of people pay attention to me. But I think that helps me in terms of being able to see all these variations,” he said.

Explaining his approach against India, he said: “And tonight I used my leg cutter because I know they were probably just gearing up for a cutter. I could see Surya was also gearing up to lift it over the leg side.

“So to show him something different, keep him guessing. And it worked quite well.”

According to Ngidi, the spell was shaped by awareness of the game rather than the pursuit of wickets.

“But I think just looking at the scoreboard and seeing their positions, I knew what I had to do. It was about building a lot more pressure than just being greedy and trying to put my name in the wicket column. So, yeah, using that tactic, I think it worked pretty well tonight,” he said.

He believes the slower ball tipped the balance in his favour, especially in an era when batsmen are trying to establish dominance from the start.

“But I think having my slower ball gives me an advantage where batsmen can’t swing every ball. We’ve seen that a little bit in the powerplay. So if you have to think about it, I think that’s where I come into the game.”

According to Ngidi, the main aim is to sow seeds of doubt in the batsman’s mind.

“When you start second-guessing your options, I think ultimately that’s what a bowler really wants.

“And all of a sudden, when the pressure is on, I don’t think they have an answer as to what I’m going to deliver next. So it works in my favor that no one is really thinking about me,” Ngidi added.