"Why bowlers struggle in this format is": Chennai bowling coach DJ Bravo opens up on importance of yorkers

CHENNAI: Ahead of his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) clash with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bowling coach Dwayne Bravo opened up on the importance of yorkers, some of his favourite pacers in the franchise and how the team focuses on being the 'smartest bowling team' in the competition.

CSK will be locking horns with LSG at Chennai's Chepauk Stadium on Tuesday, with the five-time champions currently at fourth place with four wins and three losses, aggregating a total of eight points. They had lost to LSG by eight wickets in their previous match on Friday at Lucknow on April 19. LSG is at the fifth spot in the table with the same win-loss and points, but they have a lower net run rate.

Speaking in a video posted on the official X handle of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Bravo said yorker is the most important delivery for a pacer and one cannot survive for long without it. He pointed out that some of the most successful bowlers in T20 cricket, including himself, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, Matheesha Pathirana among many, regularly use yorkers and their various variations.

"You cannot last long without a yorker. If you look at players, who have had most of the success in T20 cricket, Lasith Malinga, Bumrah or Pathirana, myself when I played, we had a similar plan, try to bowl as many yorkers as possible, with our variations," said Pathirana.

Bravo pointed out how bowlers' lack of trust in their yorker lets them down in their games. The veteran, who is the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket with 625 scalps, makes sure that bowlers deliver a good amount of yorkers in nets to get match-ready.

"One of the main reasons why bowlers struggle in this format is because bowlers don't trust their ability to bowl Yorkers. So what I tried to implement in the coaching sessions is each and every bowler has to bowl 12-14 yorkers in a session. Only if you put in the work, in the game time, it will be easier," said Bravo.

Opening up on some of his favourite pacers from CSK camp, Bravo praised the young Pathirana, who shot to fame with his slingy, Malinga-like action. During the last season, he took 19 wickets in 12 matches for CSK. Currently, he has nine wickets in four games of IPL 2024.

"Pathirana is very special. I call him Baby Malinga. I also call him Baby GOAT (Greatest of All Time). He is not someone you try to coach because he has a natural ability and skill," Bravo said.

Bravo also pointed out that Bangladesh veteran Mustafizur Rahman is also very special to him. He has taken 11 wickets in six games in the ongoing season.

"He has the reputation of having one of the best slower balls in the world. You don't try to over-coach these players. You just empower them with knowledge, and information and try to keep it simple," he added.

The West Indies legend is also impressed with pacer Tushar Deshpade, who made a name for himself with a breakthrough IPL 2023. He took 21 wickets in 16 games to guide CSK to their fifth title win.

Bravo said that during the team meetings, CSK asserts its resolve to be the " smartest bowling team in the competition" and prepares for all possible scenarios and does not look to repeat its mistakes.

"We do drills, especially by keeping in mind the ground dimension. We practice with vision, with a purpose. When people look at us, they should see a plan, sometimes it does not work, but most times, it will," Bravo added.