Ravi Bishnoi's T20 World Cup dream could very well be over

Ravi Bishnoi has picked the worst time to go out of form. The Indian squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup is set to be announced in less than two weeks and the leg-spinner has almost bowled himself out of contention. The 23-year-old has neither picked enough wickets nor managed to contain the flow of runs.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were expecting Bishnoi to lead their bowling attack, but seven games into the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), the leggie's performances have been middling. In fact, he has probably been LSG’s worst bowler and biggest disappointment so far this season. 

Bishnoi came into this tournament as India’s premier T20I spinner. Since the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, he has been India’s second-highest wicket-taker after Arshdeep Singh. He claimed 20 wickets in 14 games at an average of 21.4 and an economy rate of 7.8. 

Bishnoi didn’t have a great series against Afghanistan in January but was Player of the Series against Australia in a high-scoring rubber in November 2023. He was almost a lock for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA and was arguably ahead of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal for that wrist-spinner spot in the Indian squad.

But halfway into IPL 2024, the tables have completely turned, with Kuldeep and Chahal proving to be far superior. Five wickets in seven games at an average of 38 and an economy rate of 8.38 — these are not the numbers that would get you a ticket for an ICC event.

Bishnoi started the season on a terrible note, taking just one wicket in the first three games. 1/38 (4), 0/25 (3) and 0/33 (3) — these were his figures against Rajasthan Royals (RR), Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), respectively. He leaked runs at an economy of 9.6 and was all over the place.

He did gain form in the next three matches, taking three wickets @ 16.7 and an economy rate of 5.8 but did that by bowling not-so-important overs. Against Gujarat Titans, Yash Thakur picked up five wickets and Bishnoi bowled only two overs. He then registered figures of 2/25 vs Delhi Capitals (DC) and 0/17 (2.4 overs) vs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) but LSG lost both those games.

Hence, when Chennai Super Kings (CSK) came to Lucknow on April 19 (Friday), the conditions were perfect for Bishnoi to make an impact and keep himself in the talks for the T20 World Cup. But things once again didn’t turn out the way he wanted. Bishnoi ended up getting smashed for 44 runs in his four overs, while his spin partner Krunal Pandya took 2/16 in three overs.

Bishnoi came into the attack in the eighth over when CSK were 57/2. The leggie gave away three fours in his first two overs against Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane and was taken out of the attack. Yash Thakur, Krunal and Marcus Stoinis then conceded only 17 runs in the next four overs and kept the CSK batters in check.

Bishnoi’s third over produced seven runs but it was in his final over that he was taken to the cleaners. Moeen Ali was struggling on 12 off 15 but then whacked Bishnoi for three consecutive maximums to end his innings with 30 off 20. The leg-spinner repeated the same mistakes he had been committing throughout the edition. 

A couple of full-length deliveries were slog-swept before a short delivery was tonked down the ground. This season, Bishnoi has an economy of more than 10 whenever he has bowled full. 

On top of that, he is someone who has always relied on googlies and the oppositions have started playing him like an off-spinner. Almost 60 percent of his total deliveries this season have been googlies and he has an economy of 7.6 on such deliveries. But whenever he has bowled conventional leg-break and flippers, Bishnoi has gone at an economy of close to 10.

Among spinners who have bowled at least 20 overs in this year’s IPL, Bishnoi has the fourth-worst average and third-worst economy rate.

It won’t be wrong to say that time has run out for Bishnoi when it comes to finding a place in the Indian team for the T20 showpiece event in June, and he has only himself to blame. 

Play Asli Fantasy on Cricket.com. Download the App Now.