RCB spearhead Josh Hazlewood has offered a candid insight into how he carved out a reputation as one of the most effective fast bowlers in the Indian Premier League, even without the wide range of variations that define Jasprit Bumrah’s craft.
Hazlewood may have picked up just one wicket on the night, but his influence with the new ball in the powerplay proved decisive as they bundled out Lucknow Super Giants for a below average 146. At 35, he remains one of the most reliable fast bowlers in the league and has become a presence alongside Virat Kohli since joining Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2022.
RCB vs LSG: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
In two full seasons with the franchise, Hazlewood broke the 20-goal mark each time, scoring 20 in 2022 and 22 in 2024. He scored 45 goals in just 27 games over four seasons. For context, Bumrah has only eight wickets in this period despite playing another 12 games. Hazlewood’s strike rate of 18.64 is better than Bumrah and stands out among fast bowlers with more than 40 wickets at this stage, while his economy rate of 8.43 is the third best, behind Bumrah and Trent Boult.
Yet, unlike Bumrah, Hazlewood does not rely heavily on variations. Instead, his method is built around relentless precision, repeatable lengths and a clear understanding of his role within the attack.
“Sometimes I bowl an off-cutter. I don’t have quite the range of slower balls like someone like Bumrah, so you try to compensate in other ways. I always work on different things in training and pull them out when needed, but today it was more about accuracy – hitting the right length, using a few cross seams and keeping things simple. We played a lot of flat or slow balls. That’s where Hazlewood will come into play more,” said Faf du Plessis. while speaking on JioHotstar after RCB’s win.
This clear method was evident during his Power Play spell where he returned figures of 3-0-10-1 to help restrict LSG to 35 for one in the first six overs. His control over length and line meant the batsmen were rarely able to break free, with scoring opportunities drying up against disciplined bowling.
With Josh Hazlewood back in the side and bowling three of the first seven overs, RCB got an early grip on the game. On a surface that was dry and maintained, he made life extremely difficult for the batsmen by not giving them any room to relax their hands. As Rishabh Pant tried to force the pace, he was hit on the left elbow and had to retire injured. When Nicholas Pooran looked to take it on, he dragged the ball back onto his stumps.
RCB’s quicks went for just over seven overs in the first 10 overs, but as they kept just outside the stumps, the scoring rate dropped to just over three in the same period. Hazlewood was so in control that RCB even slipped to short leg at one stage, a rarity in T20 cricket.
For Hazlewood, while conditions may affect tactics, the basic principle remains unchanged: execution over experimentation.
“It helps when the wicket is like that. You don’t have to try too hard. The plan is very simple – it’s just about execution and hitting the right areas. Bhuvi summed it up in that first over. There were a few changes on the pitch here and there, but the communication within the bowling group, especially from Bhuvi with the new ball, is our real strength.” added.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru remain at home to take on Delhi Capitals in an afternoon match on Saturday, April 18. Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants will travel to New Chandigarh to take on the in-form Punjab Kings in their own backyard the following day on April 19.
RCB will also take a breather after seeing Josh Hazlewood at his best after a lackluster game against Rajasthan Royals a few days ago.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
16 Apr 2026 03:00 IST
