“Just keeping the big man’s seat warm.
When Jacob Duffy said this after being named the man of the match in the IPL 2026 opener between RCB and SRH, it almost seemed as if the fans had forgotten about Josh Hazlewood’s presence. Ever since the IPL was set to begin, the conversation has been about when Hazlewood will return for the defending champions.
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After all, when RCB lifted the title, the man they called ‘Hazlegod’ picked up 22 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 17.55 and was one of the main reasons for the triumph. but for now it was just to fill the void left by the Australian pacer.
| RCB vs SRH: Scorecard – Highlights |
So when Duffy ran into the bowl, he probably had the hardest job on the planet. Operating on a ground known for its short boundaries, he faced two of the most devastating batsmen in the IPL – Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. No pressure, right? Especially on your IPL debut.
But at the end of his period, Duffy sent both men packing. Then came Nitish Kumar Reddy’s wicket and SRH’s top order was well and truly dismantled.
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He bowled four overs at the trot and was back in the dressing room resting in the seventh. He could even make a quick trip to one of the Corner House stores for their Death by Chocolate special and be back in time to check out the rest.
But why did it work? And why was it the play of the day from RCB in their stunning win?
HEIGHT DOES MATTER
A tall pitcher is always an asset on tracks that are known to produce runs. If there’s even a hint of rebound on the menu, they can effectively extract it—especially when nothing else seems to be working.
For RCB, this has been the template they have followed over the years. Since 2022, they have consistently relied on a tall pacer in their ranks. Hazlewood enjoyed a good first stint followed by the likes of Lockie Ferguson and Reece Topley.
Standing just over six feet, Duffy fits the bill and appears an ideal foil for Hazlewood in that area. Duffy’s IPL debut was brief but made a huge impact. (Photo: Reuters)
On Sunday, Chinnaswamy’s pitch seemed two-run at the start and offered some swing. There was also a bit of spongy bounce, which worked in Duffy’s favour.
He realized that the best way to stop ‘Travishek’ from going ballistic was to first limit and force his impatience. He was also helped by Bhuvneshwar Kumar who bowled a brilliant two in the duo.
When given the chance, Duffy delivered. Both Abhishek and Head pounced on two short deliveries, forcing them to hit straight into the fielders.
Another notable aspect was how quickly Duffy recalibrated. He got a six in his first over as he strayed outside off and sent a similar delivery to Head for a boundary.
But in both cases, the next delivery was on the spot – he either beat the batter or dismissed him. Nitish’s wicket followed a similar pattern. The batter was sped up with an extra bounce and ended up spooning the catch.
All his wickets came from deliveries that were not of good length. Interestingly, SRH tried to use the same tactic later in their innings – but by then they were well behind.
A BIT OF TEST CRICKET IN T20
What Hazlewood did so effectively for RCB last season was to operate for the length of a Test match. Duffy seemed to be following the same plan.
Apart from a few punishing deliveries outside the pitch, most of his balls landed in the good length region. This allowed him to gain movement early and trouble batsmen consistently. The dismissal of both SRH openers, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, was something that no one saw coming. (PTI Photo)
Another key tactic was targeting Abhishek and Head around the top of the leg stump. This denied them space and forced them into awkward shots, often swinging at deliveries they could not control.
Ultimately, Duffy’s performance was the perfect start to a new chapter. While he can insist that he is just keeping the seat warm for Hazlewood, if he continues in this vein, RCB could soon afford the luxury of playing both in tandem.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
March 29, 2026 08:53 IST
