RCB Reveals Secret of Chinnaswamy's Mischievous Pitch

RCB's sojourn at the Chinnaswamy Stadium has been a sequence of run-heavy thrills and bowler frustration. What used to be notorious as a batsman's heaven, the ground was a "bowlers' graveyard," in which runs dribbled like honey from a container of juice. However, of late, there has been some change in the pitch, making it difficult for the batsmen. In IPL 2025, the character of the pitch has become two-paced in nature, with tennis ball-like bounce, and it is difficult to play shots through the line.

Chinnaswamy used to be the benchmark for batsmen. Between 2018 and 2023, it experienced some of the highest scores in the league. The pitch was holding high-paced runs regularly, with an overall high rate of 200+ scores per annum. But since 2024, the surface has appeared to lose its batting-friendly nature. Run rates have also declined, and there are hardly any games that have seen 200+ scores. The wicket's character is now being brought to the limelight as an area of concern by players and commentators too.

It has happened gradually, and signs have started manifesting in the 2024 season of the IPL. The wicket has been put through a crazy schedule of cricket, right from playing ODI World Cup matches, T20 Internationals, and WPL matches. The pitch would not have been given enough time to recover, and hence has become tacky and hard. Seamers and bowlers have managed to adapt themselves with the current situation, and back-of-a-length deliveries have been most effective.

RCB has been swift to respond to such new issues. The team has understood that hitting the deck at the optimal length is critical at Chinnaswamy. Although batsmen previously delighted in short-pitched bowling, the 2025 season has seen bowlers producing short-of-a-length spells with tremendous returns. Actually, since 2024, seamers bowling from this region have been exceptionally good, picking wickets at a much better rate than they were doing in the previous seasons. This length, about 8 to 10 meters, has proved to be the key to success.

Batting first at Chinnaswamy has also proved challenging. Battling sides that have been given less than 180 have struggled, and the wicket has supported bowlers in the second innings. This alteration in the wicket has not allowed batsmen to freely move their arms, especially against the back-of-a-length balls being bowled. Bowlers have been able to create ample bounce and extract false strokes from batsmen who are unable to time the ball correctly.

Josh Hazlewood, RCB's pick of the year for 2025, has been one of the standout performers in such conditions. Employing his height and bounce-extracting skills, Hazlewood has had a field day on Chinnaswamy's tough pitch. His art of delivering accurate balls in the back-of-a-length zone has been the key to his success. Hazlewood's work in the previous match against Rajasthan Royals was his worth on the inclusion on a surface like this, as he claimed four wickets, the important one being of Yashasvi Jaiswal. His height and accuracy made batsmen struggle to get under the ball, and his balls were hard to target.

RCB team director Mike Hesson pointed out the value of tall bowlers who have the ability to produce the correct lengths at Chinnaswamy. Hazlewood, with his quick release, has been the perfect pick for the requirements of the pitch. Others who were unable to adjust to the surface, like Alzarri Joseph, struggled to deal with the new two-bouncer regulation. RCB's investment in Hazlewood has paid off, with the Aussie pacer topping the wickets' list in the season with 18 victims to his credit.

The shift in the character of Chinnaswamy conditions has also forced RCB to alter their strategy in constructing their bowling core. Previously, RCB have high-profile buys like Tymal Mills, Chris Morris, and Kyle Jamieson to bolster their death-over bowling. But the 2025 season has revealed that focus has to be on bowlers who are capable of delivering the correct lengths on this challenging pitch. The triumph of Hazlewood is a testament to RCB's preparation because they have moved away from relying on death-bowling specialists and headed in the direction of bowlers who can deliver properly at back-of-a-length. In the future, RCB is prepared to exploit Chinnaswamy's pitch.

The team has understood how important it has been to spot the right lengths and acclimatize themselves to the characteristics of the pitches. With Hazlewood being at the forefront, RCB has been able to make the most of a pitch that was previously renowned for high-scoring games. The team will, with preparations in hand to play Chennai Super Kings in their upcoming game, look to benefit from their run of home dominant performances. If RCB can retain their focus on length bowling, they will halfway through to the playoffs. Their success at Chinnaswamy now rests on their bowlers being able to take advantage of the altering condition of the pitch, and they seem to have discovered the trick of doing so.