New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) Lungi Ngidi has made the slower ball his signature, but he is quick to point out it has been years in the making. Ngidi, one of the premier fast bowlers for South Africa, first lit up the IPL when Chennai Super Kings won IPL 2018 by claiming 11 wickets in just seven matches.
After a brief stint with Royal Challengers Bengaluru when they won the IPL in 2025, Delhi Capitals picked him up for INR 2 crore ahead of the ongoing season. With his height, pace, variations, and ability to deliver in crunch moments, Ngidi has been a central figure in DC’s bowling attack.
Ahead of DC preparing to get back to winning ways when they take on defending champions RCB on Saturday afternoon, in a virtual media interaction facilitated by the franchise, Ngidi reflected on his slower balls, the hardwork gone behind perfecting it, preparing to tackle Virat Kohli, playing under MS Dhoni and more. Excerpts: –
Q. How did you first develop your slower-ball variation, and what went into perfecting it?
A. I’ve been asked this question a couple of times now since the World Cup. I started at CSK in 2018, and that is something Dwayne Bravo had mentioned to me, that I should work on a good slower ball. I asked him to teach me how he bowls his balls, and he showed me a couple of things.
Obviously, it wasn’t perfect off the bat for me, but I developed it over the years. It seems like everyone is surprised, but I’ve been bowling this slower ball for years now. It’s just that I’ve probably added a bit more flight and revs to it. Whether I bowl it on a length or fuller, it’s still the same slower ball.
It did take a lot of practice. A lot of guys ask me how I do it, and I think they feel it’s easy because they see guys try to bowl it from the first ball of their run-up. For me, it took almost close to a year to build the confidence to deliver this ball.
It has become one of my weapons. It takes a lot of confidence to run in and bowl it, especially trying to get it to dip on a yorker length. There are times where I get it wrong, and like any world-class batter, they can hit it for a boundary. But when I get it right, it creates chances.
In T20 cricket, that’s what you want, to create chances or control the flow of runs. I was also watching trends of the IPL over the years, and it feels like everyone wants to bowl fast. But on these wickets, with the bats and the boundary sizes, pace can travel. So you need something different to stay relevant.
Q. How did you first develop your slower-ball variation, and what went into perfecting it?
A. I’m not going to tell you my plans for Virat Kohli because that would defeat the purpose of wickets. But yes, you always come up with plans. You look at technical things, recent dismissals, and patterns. That’s normal planning for every batter before every game.
He’s obviously one of the most consistent batters in that lineup, so you have to be aware of him. But having been around that setup, I know the other batters as well, and they are just as dangerous. They’re in good form, so we will need to play well to beat them.
Q. What mindset and confidence do you draw on when executing variations?
A. It takes a lot mentally. It’s a brave ball to bowl because when you get it wrong, it can become a low full toss or a slot ball and go for a boundary. The confidence comes from preparation. I’ve been doing it for years and I’m used to bowling under pressure.
I bowl in the powerplay and at the death, so it’s always high-risk. Like the coach says, someone has to do the dirty job, and I guess that’s my role. So I have to find ways to succeed in those situations.
That includes variations, changing grips, and trying different things. The game is evolving, and you can’t keep doing the same thing. Mentally, you have to be strong, and skill-wise, you have to execute well.
Q. Do you prefer having multiple variations in your armoury, or sticking to a trusted stock ball?
A. There are times where having too many options can become a problem, especially in longer formats. But in T20 cricket, things have changed. Batters are looking to score quickly, especially in the powerplay. If you keep bowling the same thing, they will catch on. You need variations because if something isn’t working, you need another option.
Otherwise, you get stuck. If conditions are helping, you can stick to your stock ball. But on a good batting wicket, you need something else. Sometimes having too many options can lead to overthinking, but it can also work in your favour because the batter doesn’t know what’s coming.
Q. In T20s, how important are hard lengths and simplicity compared to mixing things up?
A. Conditions decide how you bowl. A good ball on top of off stump will always be a good ball. That will never change. That’s where Test cricket has helped me. It gives you the base to execute your stock ball well. Variations help when you’re under pressure, but the basics stay the same. Good technique and accuracy are still key.
Q. With limited IPL opportunities, how do you maintain the surprise element in your bowling?
A. This is my ninth IPL season, and there were about three years where I didn’t play a game. It’s frustrating, but you don’t select yourself. I focus on what I can control, which is performing when I get the opportunity. I used that time to train and prepare for other cricket, including national duties.
With the slower ball, people talk about it, but for me, it’s about execution. Even if a batter expects it, if I execute it well, it’s still effective. I also have conversations with players like KL Rahul, Axar Patel, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs to understand what batters might be thinking. At the end of the day, I focus on executing my plans and what the captain wants.
Q. What emotions come into play when you face your former team RCB, and how do you handle them?
A. I don’t take emotions into the game. When I play, it’s purely professional and strictly business as you would call it. I’m representing the Delhi Capitals now. I had a great time at RCB and we won the title, but that chapter is over. Now my responsibility is to perform for the Delhi Capitals who have showed their faith in me.
Q. After two defeats, what’s the mood like in the camp, and how do you keep playoff hopes alive?
A. I can’t predict the future, but we definitely have the squad to go far. The games we’ve lost have been close, and if we analyse them honestly, there were moments where we let ourselves down. That’s also the positive. If you can identify those mistakes and fix them, you have a good chance in the tournament. There’s something good building in this team.
Q. Are you working on new variations, and how much do you learn from watching others?
A. There are things I’m working on, but you probably won’t see them in this tournament yet. These things take time. I’m always trying to learn. Bowling with players like Auqib, you pick things up. The way he swings the ball reminds me of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
I don’t come into the IPL thinking I know everything. Local players often have better knowledge of conditions. I respect that and I’m always open to learning, while also sharing whatever I can.
Q. What did winning the WTC and a Test series in India mean to you personally?
A. Definitely the ICC trophy – it was the first time we did it for our country. That for me would have to take the cake. Winning a Test series in India is up there. It’s very high but when we speak about history, the ICC trophy did a lot for us back in South Africa.
Q. What was it like playing under MS Dhoni, and what have you taken from his leadership?
A. Playing under MS Dhoni when I was younger helped me a lot. Having a captain who is calm and not emotional helps you stay composed. They backed me and trusted me. I opened the bowling in a final in my first season, so clearly they had confidence in me.
I really enjoyed my time there. I learnt a lot. Playing with the likes of Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Dwayne Bravo and Murali Vijay at that age when I was 20-21 was very exciting.
–IANS
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