The Mumbai Indians (MI) have fixed their place in the playoffs after an incredible win against the Delhi Capitals (DC). There were many great performances within the Mumbai Indians squad, which also includes Kiwi left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who spun a web around the DC batters in the match.
Santner ended the game with his best figures in the IPL, taking three wickets for just 11 runs in his full quota of four overs, and had a frugal economy rate of just 2.8. Former India pacer Varun Aaron also praised the experienced New Zealand player for his performance in the match. Aaron explained the slow nature of the surface and how it would suit a bowler like Santner, who is known to trap the best batters with his clever variations. The 2022 IPL winner also claimed that Santner is being utilised better in the Mumbai Indians than he was during his time with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
“The moment Will Jacks bowled, I was thinking if Will Jacks is going to turn the ball this much, Santner is just going to run rigs around the batsman, Santner is a quality bowler, just one of those underutilised bowlers, underutilised players at CSK, never really got a long run, but he’s just showing what he’s worth the moment he stepped into Mumbai Indians’ colours,” Varun Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show.
His real skill is that sort of change of pace, and when you’ve got a slow surface, that’s a batting nightmare: Tom Moody
Another expert on the Time Out show was former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody, who gave his insights on the skills Santner possesses in the game, and how it is tough for the batters to attack him on a tricky surface, which was witnessed in the MI vs DC game on Wednesday. Moody revealed that it is the change of pace and variations that make Santner dangerous to play for the batters, rather than his ability to turn the ball.
“The beauty of Santner is that, on a surface like that, it’s not so much the turn is the threat, it’s the pitch being slow and his ability to change the arrival of the ball at different paces without the knowledge of the batsman. That’s what makes him lethal, his subtle change of pace without any real sign or cue for the batter is his key,” Moody said on the same show.
It’s not like he’s spun the odd one, but let’s face it, Mitchell is not a big turner of the ball; he’s never been a big turner of the ball. That’s why he’s never really grabbed hold of a Test cricket and run with it. Yes, he had a good series here recently when New Zealand beat India in a three-Test-match series. But his real skill is that sort of change of pace, and when you’ve got a slow surface, that’s a batting nightmare,” Moody concluded.
