Rajasthan Royals (RR) assistant coach and fast bowling mentor Shane Bond stated that handing the new ball to Jofra Archer has made a significant difference for the team. Archer has bounced back impressively in the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) after a rough start against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
The pacer had a nightmare outing in the season opener, conceding 76 runs in four overs — the most expensive bowling figures in IPL history. However, he has turned things around since then, claiming four wickets across his last two matches.
Shane Bond recently spoke about the shift in Archer’s performance, crediting the change in role and applauding him for translating his training efforts into match performances. He stated:
“What Jofra has gone about is just training with real focus and intensity. His training’s been outstanding. And really what he’s done from the last couple of games is just transferred his training into the game. He’s prepared well in terms of the plans off the field, trained really well, and then just gone out there and executed. And when he does, he’s one of the best in the world,” Bond said in the pre-match press conference.
“We also recognise that giving him the new ball has made a big difference for us”- Shane Bond
He also highlighted that giving Jofra Archer the new ball has significantly improved their performance.
“We also recognise that giving him the new ball has made a big difference for us. We’ve put runs on the board and people have found it hard against him with the new ball that’s moving around with his pace and his bounce. So, I think him leading our attack has given the rest of the bowling group a lot of confidence. I know he’s got a lot of confidence,” he added.
After going wicketless in his first two outings, Archer finally found success in the third match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), where he delivered an impressive spell of 1/13 in three overs. He followed it up with a standout performance of 3/25 against Punjab Kings (PBKS), earning the Player of the Match award in RR’s commanding 50-run victory.
Archer will be looking to carry forward his momentum when Rajasthan Royals take on Gujarat Titans (GT) on Wednesday, April 9, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
