IPL 2019: Dale Steyn rates Kagiso Rabada above Jasprit Bumrah

Steyn has changed the fortunes of RCB in the ongoing IPL.

Dale Steyn | IANS

The inclusion of Proteas pace legend Dale Steyn is making all the difference for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the ongoing IPL. In the two games that Steyn has played, he has taken four wickets to help RCB back to winning ways.

Steyn, who was roped in as a replacement for injured Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile, struck in his very first over of IPL 2019 by removing Kolkata Knight Riders' opener, Chris Lynn. The South African speedster recorded figures of 2/40 against KKR as RCB claimed a 10-run win while he removed Shane Watson (5) and Suresh Raina (0) in successive deliveries of the very first over to help his team register a 1-run victory over CSK.  

In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Steyn reflected on his comeback in the cash-rich event, saying: “I haven’t been in IPL for a couple of years now … Got one or two serious injuries during the IPL period so I missed it. But it’s great to be back. The two games I’ve played so far have been exhilarating. Watching Andre Russell hit the ball out of the ground, and the other night with (MS) Dhoni almost pulling a rabbit out of the hat and yet we won by a run with a run out, it’s amazing. It feels like the whole course has changed for my entire year of cricket already.”

“I don’t really mind how things go, but I try and make a difference on and off the field. Cricket is such a strange game; you can do extremely well with the ball and not get the rewards; and you can bowl bad balls and still pick wickets,” he added.

When asked how difficult it is to recover from injuries at this stage of his career, the 35-year-old Steyn said: “I’ve been pretty fortunate that for the better part of 10 years I never had any injuries. I was a pretty fit cricketer all my life and knew I would always come back. After a broken shoulder that took nearly a year to recover, I had rotten luck to come back and land on a foot hole, which was my bowling foot, and that required about three months. There’s a big World Cup coming up and I’ve been pretty fit and firing for the last one-and-a-half-years now.”

He also shared his two cents on the quality of bowlers in IPL as compared to other leagues.

“It’s tough because the conditions here are almost batter-friendly. There’s not a lot of seam movement or pace, and there could sometimes be a bit of spin as the tournament goes on and the pitches become more worn. In general, if you can account for these factors, you can be a superb player,” Steyn remarked.

South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada and India’s Jasprit Bumrah are deemed as pacers who will rule world cricket in the coming years. Both of them are doing exceptionally well in IPL 2019 and Steyn expressed his opinion on the ace pacers.

“Kagiso has been phenomenal. Having not toured India a lot in his young career, he seems to be a level ahead of where some other bowlers are right now. And that’s including some of the great Indian players like your Bumrahs and everyone who are superb bowlers; but just looks like KG has gotten on to something that everybody else hasn’t right now. I’m a big fan of fast bowlers, love watching someone like Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and others bowl from across the world,” he opined.

Steyn concluded by talking about his form and approach going into the World Cup.

“There aren’t a lot of games. There are around 4-5 games and I might only play two or three. But it doesn’t really matter. For me, it’s nice to be playing. I just need to be fit. Going to a World Cup, playing for South Africa, we have got some tremendous players already in the team, and they will bring the best out of you anyway,” he signed-off.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 24 Apr, 2019

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