IPL 2025 Embraces Slower Balls as Key Bowling Strategy

The slower ball, once considered a novelty trick in cricket, has become a crucial weapon for fast bowlers in the fast-paced T20 format, including the current IPL 2025 season. Its effectiveness lies in deceiving batsmen by releasing the ball at a significantly reduced speed while maintaining an identical bowling action, thereby disrupting the batsman's timing and muscle memory. Over the years, the slower ball has evolved into a diverse arsenal including off-cutters, leg-cutters, back-of-the-hand deliveries, and the knuckleball, all designed to maximize deception. The degree of speed reduction and flawless disguise are critical to its success, often leading batsmen to mistime shots or lose balance. This evolution reflects a broader trend of strategic innovation among bowlers to counter increasingly aggressive batting in modern T20 cricket. The slower ball now stands alongside the yorker and bouncer as a primary tool in a fast bowler's repertoire.