Ravichandran Ashwin believes IPL 2025’s flat pitches make bowling extremely difficult, with high-scoring games leaving bowlers with limited options.
Ravichandran Ashwin believes IPL 2025’s flat wickets have made bowling extremely challenging, forcing bowlers to rely on defensive tactics. He feels the conditions favor batters so much that full tosses are sometimes a better option than pitching the ball. With high scores becoming common, bowlers are struggling to contain aggressive batting.
“You said bowlers are becoming defensive. I want to talk about that. I think bowlers will soon have to be accompanied by personal psychologists. I genuinely mean that,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“Okay, people say bowlers are becoming defensive. Let that argument stand. But in several instances, bowling has literally become impossible. On certain grounds, you can’t keep the stumps in play. You mentioned full tosses, but (Yuzvendra) Chahal bowled full tosses to Sai Sudharsan and got away with singles (on Tuesday in Ahmedabad). In fact, a full toss isn’t always a bad ball. On some pitches, deliveries that land on the wicket actually make it easier for batters. We all thought full tosses were easier to hit when we were young, but on certain surfaces, the ball pitches and comes onto the bat better than a full toss,” he added.
Notably, the IPL 2025 has seen three of the first five matches feature both teams scoring over 200 runs. Flat pitches across venues and the impact player rule have fueled aggressive batting, limiting bowlers’ effectiveness. Last season, IPL 2024 set records for runs, strike rates, and batting averages. SunRisers Hyderabad nearly equaled their highest total in their first game of 2025.
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have strengthened their squad with Ravichandran Ashwin. They play home games at Chepauk, Chennai, a venue known for assisting bowlers. Up next, they face Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday, March 28, at the same venue.
