Mastering the Yorker: Dwayne Bravo’s Recipe for T20 Bowling Success

In the fast-paced, boundary-craving world of T20 cricket, bowlers often find themselves on the receiving end of a batter’s onslaught. The IPL 2024 T20 cricket series has been no exception, with bowlers struggling to contain the flow of runs as batsmen unleash a barrage of shots. However, amidst this challenging landscape, Dwayne Bravo, the bowling coach of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), has shed light on a crucial aspect of T20 bowling: mastering the yorker.

In an exclusive interview on IPL Internet, Bravo emphasized the importance of bowling quality yorkers for sustained success in T20 cricket. “No matter how good a bowler is in T20 cricket, if he does not know how to bowl quality yorkers, he cannot be successful for long,” Bravo remarked.

Bravo, himself a T20 cricket stalwart, highlighted the effectiveness of bowlers like Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah, and the relatively lesser-known Matheesha Pathirana, who have mastered the art of bowling yorkers with different variations.

“When it comes to T20 cricket, the yorker is king,” Bravo asserted. “We all have the same plan – to bowl as many yorkers as possible with different variations.”

Speaking specifically about Pathirana, Bravo likened him to a young Malinga, highlighting his natural ability and talent. “Pathirana is special in that way. I will call him Baby Malinga. He has the reputation of being the best slower bowler in the world. You don’t need to try to coach such players. Just tap into their knowledge and keep it simple.”

One of the primary reasons why bowlers stumble in T20 cricket, according to Bravo, is a lack of confidence in their yorkers. To address this issue, Bravo revealed his coaching strategy. “As a coach, I would ask every bowler to bowl at least 12-14 yorkers in every session.”

Additionally, Bravo stressed the importance of simplicity in execution. “Usually, we practice keeping the boundary size of the ground in mind. So when opponents see your plan, it sometimes doesn’t work. But many times it works.”

With the Hyderabad team recently setting a new T20 record by accumulating 287 runs against the Bengaluru team, it’s evident that T20 cricket has become more batsman-friendly than ever. However, as Dwayne Bravo’s insights show, mastering the yorker remains the key to success for bowlers in this format.

As the IPL 2024 T20 cricket series continues to unfold, aspiring bowlers would do well to heed Bravo’s advice and focus on honing their yorker skills to thrive in the fast-paced world of T20 cricket.