Kagiso Rabada must rediscover the yorker in IPL to reclaim death-over dominance

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu believes Kagiso Rabada must rediscover his ability to bowl the yorker if he is to regain his effectiveness during the death overs of IPL 2026.

Rabada, the Purple Cap winner in 2020, has struggled in recent seasons, claiming only 20 wickets in 21 matches across the last three editions. He began the current campaign with figures of 1/34 from three overs for Gujarat Titans, who suffered a three-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings in New Chandigarh.

"One thing we have noticed over the years about Rabada — and Dale Steyn used to do this too — is that he bowls that cross-seam sort of outswinger," Rayudu told ESPNcricinfo. "He used to bowl a very good yorker early in his career when he was bowling seam-up.

"But has he started bowling too much of that cross-seam? He has lost his yorker. I think that is why he isn't bowling as well at the death. He was excellent in those closing overs when he first started. Perhaps that is something he needs to bring back into his game."

Steyn, the legendary former South Africa pacer, agreed that Rabada appeared to be "searching" for wickets and had lost his radar with the yorker in recent years. He compared Rabada’s current trajectory with that of Marco Jansen, who returned figures of 1/20 for PBKS in the same match.

"He had a fantastic yorker, and then there was a period where the South African bowling line-up went back-of-a-length and cross-seam," Steyn noted. "I think that’s where he lost that yorker a little bit. Marco doesn’t bowl a lot of yorkers, but he uses his variations well.

"KG has been searching for that yorker and just missing it; he’s been missing with low full-tosses and getting hit out of the ground. Meanwhile, Marco uses his length and his height, with the odd yorker thrown in.

"KG is searching, whereas Marco has figured it out. You can tell by the stats — one guy is taking a wicket every ten balls at the death, versus 71 for the other [since the start of IPL 2025]. One guy is searching, and the other knows exactly what he wants to do."

IANS