‘Arshdeep Singh always nails the yorkers, have always looked up to him’, says Punjab Kings pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak.
Match 5 of the IPL 2025 edition between Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings hung in the balance, and it seemed as if Shubman Gill’s GT would walk away as winners despite being set a daunting target of 244 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Enter Vijaykumar Vyshak, and the entire complexion of the game changed as he displayed pitch-perfect death bowling to help the Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS walk away with a narrow 11-run win.
Vijaykumar Vyshak, a pacer from Karnataka, was introduced in the match as an impact player in the 14th over of Gujarat Titans’ chase. The 28-year-old had the odds stacked against him as he was to go up against Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford.
However, in a game heavily tilted in the batters’ favour, Vyshak displayed what a bowler can achieve if they consistently back their plans. The pacer continued to bowl wide yorkers to Sherfane Rutherford, and the plan paid off when the left-handed batter could not connect. The youngster did not sway away from his plans despite conceding three wides in the 17th over.
A day after the match against Gujarat Titans, Vijaykumar Vyshak spoke to Hindustan Times, detailing the hard work that has gone behind the scenes and how he is learning day in and day out just by being in close proximity to India speedster Arshdeep Singh.
“After the 13th over, I didn’t know I would come in. I always doubted whether a spinner would be coming in because the spinners bowled well. But since the dew factor was quite a lot yesterday, there was a lot of dew last night. So, they told me I’ll enter the game in the 13th over and probably go again,” Vyshak said.
“The execution part was mainly because I had a lot of freedom because the captain, bowling coach and Arshdeep Singh told me to do whatever I want. Just give your 100 per cent. So, from my side, I knew if I gave my 100-110 per cent, I would win the match for my team. When I walked out to the ground, I always believed that I would win it for my team,” he added.
The Karnataka seamer was all praise for his senior Arshdeep – almost referring to him as the quintessential king of yorkers – since the latter mentored him in the nets before the Punjab Kings played their first IPL 2025 match against Gujarat.
“Since I have been working hard in the nets with Arshdeep Singh regarding yorkers, I was confident about nailing the yorkers as well. I first got to know Arshdeep Singh in South Africa when I toured with the T20I team. We did not speak about bowling much there because he was playing, and I didn’t get a chance to talk to him about bowling yorkers and all,” said Vyshak.
“I have always looked up to him because he is someone who is nailing the yorkers. He has many things to tell you about how to go about bowling, yorkers. He has been helping me a lot in the nets. He keeps telling me how my mindset should be. They say practice makes everyone perfect, so I have been trying to do that. He has helped me a lot,” he added.
Vyshak also revealed that he had been working on perfecting the yorkers for a long time, and this was his focus even during the domestic season before the IPL.
“We don’t get an off-season because we play domestic throughout the year. So there is nothing called off-season, so whatever time we get, we try to improve. Yorkers is something I have always wanted to improve upon. I have constantly worked on it. I am really glad that I could do it yesterday. I just want to keep doing it again and again,” he said.
What does Vyshak make of the saliva ban being lifted?
Before the 18th edition of the IPL began, the BCCI made two significant rule changes. The bowlers were finally re-allowed to apply saliva to shine the ball. Not just this, the fielding side in the second innings could request a ball change after the 10th over to counter the dew factor. Vyshak sees both these changes as significant factors and believes bowlers can do with any help they can get because the game continues to tilt towards the batters with each passing day.
“I don’t think there was any ball change because I went in late. So, when I went in, there was absolutely no ball change. Because we were shining the ball on one side, so I thought the ball was scaling a bit. So, it was a bit tough with the dew coming in, and we just thought it was the same because there was a little swing. So, we just thought of continuing with the ball because it was very hard for them to get going,” said Vyshak.
“Since it is just a batter’s game, we can have that. At least 1 per cent, whatever chance is there, with 1 per cent of the extra thing the bowlers get when you use saliva. I think it does help if you keep maintaining the ball on one side. I mean, it also depends on the conditions where you are playing. It might help, and it might not help. But you at least have that one per cent change where you can try and reverse the ball later. From the first over to the 20th over, batters are playing just one way. It is also a good challenge for the bowlers,” he added.
Role of Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer
Australia’s 2003 and 2007 World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting coaches Punjab Kings, which is led by Shreyas Iyer. The latter made his intentions known from the very first game, playing an unbeaten 97 to help the franchise post 243/5 in 20 overs.
Shreyas Iyer’s approach was there for everyone to see as he did not go for his 100 and asked Shashank Singh to keep going hell for leather to ensure a solid total on the board.
“Well, if you look at Shreyas, he is always calm and composed. He always tells us how to be calm and composed. He tells us that if only you are calm and composed, you know what you are doing and what you can do, and that is when the best comes out of you. So, that is a big lesson from him. Because as a bowler, it is very hard to stay calm when you are bowling, and you know you have to nail every ball,” said Vyshak.
“I think what he has told us has really helped us. Even with Ricky, the way he has been with the team, from the day he came, the intensity of practice and fielding increased. The minute he came in, everything changed. He has been phenomenal. He will always be a legend. We have so much to learn from him. I really hope we keep this momentum going,” he added.
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- Arshdeep Singh
- Punjab Kings
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