Kagiso Rabada makes controversial statement after getting hammered by Punjab Kings batters

South African pacer Kagiso Rabada hit out at the trend of high-scoring IPL games, while stating something extremely controversial.

Kagiso Rabada makes controversial statement after getting hammered by Punjab Kings batters

Kagiso Rabada criticized the trend of high-scoring IPL matches (via Inside Sport)

South African speedster Kagiso Rabada highlighted his disappointment over the shift in the IPL’s rules. The speedster pointed out the rules that allowed matches to turn into high-scoring ones. The 29-year-old went on to controversially state that cricket could also be referred to as only ‘batting’ in the future, disregarding bowling.

Surely, the Indian Premier League has massively transformed since the 2024 edition. The batters across all ten teams were playing on an unprecedented level last season, with teams putting up scores of 200-plus quite regularly, helped by the Impact Player rule as well. SRH broke the record for the highest IPL score ever. The match between SRH and RCB ended with an aggregate of more than 500 runs.

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Meanwhile, Punjab Kings recorded the highest run chase in the IPL as well last season, chasing 262 runs against KKR. Apart from these records, the 2024 season also saw the most number of 200-plus scores ever recorded in any single season. To draw context, the inaugural IPL season saw the 200-mark breached on 11 occasions. However, in 2024, the 200-run mark was breached a whopping 41 times.

The ongoing 2025 season has also begun on a similar note. Three out of the inaugural five matches this season have witnessed 200+ totals, with SRH on a similar run-scoring rampage this time as well. This has raised some serious questions regarding the standards of the league, as well as the pitches, that have skewed too much in favor of the batters.

There seems to be nothing out there for the bowlers, highlighting concerns that the balance between the bat and ball seems to have faded. South African pacer Kagiso Rabada raised similar concerns, following his side Gujarat Titans’ recent defeat to Punjab Kings in their 2025 IPL opener. Chasing a huge total of 243 runs, GT fell short by just 11 runs, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. 

The 29-year-old, despite being one of the IPL’s best bowlers, was hit by the PBKS batters for 41 runs in four overs. He ended his spell with a poor economy rate of 10.2. The bowler expressed concern about cricket and the IPL, becoming overly batting-focused.

The game has to progress somehow, but I don’t think it can just get too flat, like every single game. It would take the fun out of it. You know, then you might as well call our sport Batting, and not Cricket.

Kagiso Rabada on high-scoring matches (via Indian Express)

While he acknowledged the appeal of high-scoring matches, the bowler stressed the importance of maintaining a balance between bat and ball. Rabada exclaimed that the most thrilling T20 contests are those that test both batting and bowling skills. He emphasized that bowlers must adapt to conditions, and not play for the sake of merely surviving.

Kagiso Rabada alleges over-reliance on data is eroding the ‘X-factor’ in players

South African bowling star Kagiso Rabada alleged that the heavy reliance on data in modern-day cricket is slowly diminishing the ‘X-factor’ within players. He added that the influx of data has consequently changed the game, especially T20 cricket. 

Kagiso Rabada X-factor data
South African pacer Kagiso Rabada claimed that data is reducing the ‘X-factor’ within players. (via Times Now)

The high usage of data-based playing strategies has led to a major shift in the way modern-day cricket is played. Rabada, in an interview most recently, conceded the fact that too much data is there on the ground. While claiming that the ‘X-factor’ within players is eroding, the South African stated that it has become easy to identify a player’s strengths or weaknesses, reducing the surprise element. 

…There’s so much data that’s going around. So, players’ X factor is not quite the same because we play against each other quite a lot and you know what somebody is going to do.

Kagiso Rabada on an interview (via NDTV Sports)

Kagiso Rabada also spoke about his new IPL franchise, Gujarat Titans, as well as its head coach, Ashish Nehra. The South African pacer, who has grabbed an impressive 118 wickets in 81 IPL games, will be hoping to have a great season with his new team.