New Delhi: In the vibrant city of Chennai, where cricket fans are known for their passion, the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season has already highlighted a pressing concern for bowlers. As of late March, the competition has witnessed high-scoring matches, with three of the first five games featuring scores over 200 in each innings. Ravichandran Ashwin, now playing for Chennai Super Kings, suggests that the prevalence of flat wickets this season might necessitate personal psychologists for bowlers to cope with the mental pressure.
The recent backdrop of high-scoring games, including a near-record score by SunRisers Hyderabad, underscores Ashwin’s point. Discussing this trend on his YouTube channel, Ashwin emphasized, “I think bowlers will soon have to be accompanied by personal psychologists.” He highlighted that on certain pitches, standard bowling techniques are ineffective, making defensive strategies like bowling full tosses preferable to allow singles rather than risking big hits.
Ashwin’s comments are set against the backdrop of IPL 2024, which broke records for runs, strike rate, and batting averages. The introduction of the impact player rule has further empowered batters, limiting bowlers’ options. Despite playing at Chepauk, which historically offers more help to bowlers, Ashwin’s concerns resonate with the broader challenges faced by bowlers across the league.
In Chennai Super Kings’ first match at home, they successfully chased down a target of 156 against Mumbai Indians, showcasing the venue’s potential for competitive outcomes. However, as the season progresses, Ashwin’s insights into the mental toll on bowlers will undoubtedly continue to spark debate about the state of the game.
