The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen a major shift in batting dominance in recent years. Over the past two to three seasons, the league has been repeatedly questioned for preparing batting-friendly pitches that result in excessively high scores.
The current IPL 2025 season continues this trend, with bowlers struggling to make an impact. South African pacer Kagiso Rabada, who plays for the Gujarat Titans (GT), recently shared his concerns about these flat pitches, expressing his frustration over the lack of balance between bat and ball.
Rabada’s Honest Take On Pitch Conditions
In an interview with Times of India, Rabada openly criticized the nature of IPL pitches, calling them too flat and unfair to bowlers. When asked about the massive number of sixes hit last season -1,260 in total and the frequent 250+ scores, Rabada did not hold back.
He sarcastically remarked that if wickets remained so flat, the sport should no longer be called cricket but rather “a game of batting.” He emphasized that while high-scoring matches add excitement, having consistently batter-friendly conditions takes away the challenge and variety from the game.
“I don’t mind high-scoring matches; they are needed in cricket. But if conditions are too flat too often, where is the fun in that? It becomes too predictable,” Rabada explained. He stressed that a good contest between bat and ball is essential to keep the game engaging for players and fans alike.
Rabada’s IPL Journey And Current Form
Since his IPL debut in 2017, Kagiso Rabada has been one of the league’s top fast bowlers. He played for Delhi Capitals (DC) from 2017 to 2021, where he became a key wicket-taker. His standout season came in 2020, when he won the Purple Cap with 30 wickets in 17 matches, playing a crucial role in Delhi’s first-ever IPL final appearance.
In 2022, Rabada joined Punjab Kings, where he continued his strong form, claiming 23 wickets in his debut season with the team. Ahead of IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans signed him for INR 10.75 crore to strengthen their bowling attack. In his IPL career so far, Rabada has taken 119 wickets in 82 matches, with an average of 22.29 and a strike rate of 15.68. His economy rate of 8.53 shows his ability to control runs despite playing in high-scoring conditions.
However, the ongoing season has not been ideal for Rabada. In his first two matches, he conceded over 80 runs, struggling to find his rhythm. He will look to bounce back in GT’s upcoming match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 2 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
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