IPL 2026: Josh Hazlewood credits RCB bowling discipline after win over LSG

RCB pacer Josh Hazlewood praised his team’s disciplined bowling and confident batting after their win over LSG, highlighting simple execution plans. Faf du Plessis also lauded captain Rajat Patidar’s explosive strike rate in the first 10 balls.

Hyderabad: RCB pacer Josh Hazlewood weighed in on the win against LSG said that they probably struggled a little bit in the first half of last year in home games.

“So, it’s nice to win the toss and have a bowl first. It’s a slightly different wicket than what we’re used to, a little slower, probably a bit up and down. So, it’s quite tough for batting,” Hazlewood said on JioHotstar special show.

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” I thought the way we chased the total down was very good to watch. All our batters are in good form and confident, and to chase the score down pretty quickly on a wicket like that is huge,” he said.

On the bowling group’s plans, Hazlewood said: “You don’t have to try too much. It’s very simple in planning, but it’s just about execution, and putting the ball in the right areas. Bhuvi summed up the conditions in that first over, and then there were a few field changes here and there.”

“The communication within the bowling group, in particular, especially from Bhuvi, who bowls first up, is a real strength of ours. It’s probably why we did so well in our away games last year. I don’t have the skills of someone like Bumrah or others with slower balls, so you’ve got to make it up on the run,” he said.

“I keep working on a few different things in training all the time and hopefully, bring them in when we need them. In this game, it was more about being accurate, hitting the right length, even using a few cross-seam deliveries and just keeping it simple,” Hazlewood said.

JioStar expert Faf du Plessis praised RCB Captain Rajat Patidar’s ball-striking ability.

“The most amazing thing about Rajat is that he leads the charts in the first 10 balls, striking at around 260, which is a ridiculous number. He’s number one in the country at the moment doing so, and that takes some doing,” he said.

“We know he’s a good hitter, and how consistently he can strike the ball, but to be number one in those first 10 balls means that even if the opposition picks up a wicket and he comes to the crease, he starts scoring at 260 straight away,” du Plessis said.