While raw pace and hitting the deck hard is the order of the season, slow ball variations are also important for a pacer to have. Especially in conditions that are not suited for full-end pace, it is necessary to have this variation. On that note, here, we take a look at the list of three teams with the best slower ball specialists for IPL 2024.
1) Punjab Kings
Harshal Patel picked more than 30 wickets in a single campaign a few seasons ago. Most of these wickets came due to his slower balls, which were hard to play. PBKS picked him for a premium price and Harshal will be expected to deliver again.
Apart from Harshal, PBKS has Arshdeep Singh, Sam Curran and Kagiso Rabada, all of whom could dish out the perfect slower ball on their given day. Hence, this team is on this list.
2) Gujarat Titans
Mohit Sharma rose to become one of the best pacers last season due to his variations. Slower ball deliveries were one of them. This time around, it would be further needed for the GT franchise to have Mohit do well.
In Kartik Tyagi, the team has one more promising youngster, who could bowl a variety of deliveries. Josh Little can also be good in this regard.
3) Lucknow Super Giants
LSG is one of the teams with the best slower ball specialists for IPL 2024. At a venue like Lucknow, slower balls form a key component in a pacer’s armoury.
Mohsin Khan, Yash Thakur and Naveen-ul-Haq can all bring out slower balls depending on the situation of the game. This will be used extensively again for the side in the upcoming season of IPL 2024. Especially with Mark Wood not available, these three pacers will have to step up and since they are not as quick as Wood, slower balls could be their go-to delivery in the campaign.
