Reverse Swing in IPL 2025: Bowlers' Secret Weapon on Flat Tracks

IPL 2025: Reverse Swing’s Comeback – Myth, Magic, or Just Smart Bowling?

If you've been following this IPL season closely, you'd know there's been a lot of chatter around Rajasthan Royals (RR) and their so-called mental blocks during tight chases. Pundits have gone so far as to blame their strategy—especially their tendency to chase—suggesting a lack of mental fortitude. But is it really just a mental game, or is there something else going on that’s flying under the radar?

Let’s talk about a silent assassin that’s made a sneaky return this season: reverse swing. Oh yes, that old-school art of swinging the ball the wrong way, which used to bamboozle even the best of batters in the red-ball game, is slowly creeping back into the T20 format.

Wait, Reverse Swing in T20? Are You Serious?

Sounds crazy, right? T20 cricket is all about flat pitches, big bats, and bowlers just surviving the onslaught. But somehow, reverse swing has started showing up again—and not in a small way either.

Take this for example:

• Mitchell Starc, during the match against Delhi Capitals, produced a beauty to dismiss a set Nitish Rana. That delivery swung in at 1.83 degrees—a noticeable deviation, especially at death overs.

• Avesh Khan for Lucknow Super Giants made Yashasvi Jaiswal’s stumps fly with a 2.21-degree in-swinging yorker. Riyan Parag also fell victim to a ball that swung 1.86 degrees.

Now that’s not just ordinary swing. That’s serious reverse swing—happening late in the game!

Why Is This Happening Now?

We’ve seen stats to back it up too. Last year, only about 11% of post-10th over deliveries (excluding slower ones) swung more than 1.5 degrees. This year? That number’s jumped to 18%. That’s almost double the incidence of late swing. From one in ten balls, it’s now nearly one in five.

But before you go blaming the lifting of the saliva ban or jumping to conclusions, hold on. There’s more to this puzzle.

The Science of Reverse Swing: It’s Not Just Shine, It's Roughness!

Dr. Aaron Briggs, a sports aerodynamics expert, breaks it down beautifully. He says it’s not just about how shiny the ball is—it’s actually about how rough one side is. The rougher the surface, the more it affects how air flows around the ball.

Here's a cool way to imagine it:

• The ball flies through the air like it's in a wind tunnel.

• The smoother side lets air pass easily, but the rougher side makes air separate earlier.

• This difference in air resistance pushes the ball sideways—voila! Reverse swing.

Interestingly, it’s not sweat or saliva that’s the game-changer. It’s how rough the pitch is—especially those dry, abrasive squares that scuff the ball just right within the 20 overs.

"Saliva + Mentos Is the Bomb": Tricks of the Trade

Now comes the juicy part—what do bowlers really do?

Some openly admit they still try everything to shine the ball. One pacer even said, “There’s no way we don’t try everything—even if it’s just with sweat.” But honestly, saliva still rules because:

• It's stickier than sweat.

• You’ve got a never-ending supply in your mouth.

• And well, a mint or candy before going off the field never hurts.

As Mohit Sharma cheekily revealed, “In 70% of the games, the ball is tailing in, and it’s only because the saliva is heavy. If the ball is heavier on one side, it will tail in.”

Yup, players load one side—especially the seam-split area—with thick, sugary saliva. This adds weight and alters aerodynamics. Some even quietly step off the field, pop a lozenge, and come back armed with what could be a reverse-swing-inducing potion.

But Umpires Can Stop This, Right?

Technically yes, but practically? Not so much.

Unless someone’s caught red-handed with a mint in their mouth while spitting on the ball, it’s almost impossible to prove anything. The ball's already got a split seam after a couple of hits to the LED boards. The bowler does the rest. No law broken, no questions asked.

And here’s a kicker: white balls are painted, not polished like red balls. So even if you wanted to shine it, sweat or saliva won’t restore it. All that matters is which side gets rougher, and how fast.

Reverse Swing’s Real Impact: Subtle, But Smart

Let’s be real—this isn’t 1992 Wasim-Waqar-style swing. It’s not massive movement. But even small deviation at high pace can be the difference between a six and a wicket.

• Fast bowlers are attempting yorkers 42% of the time at death this season, compared to 36% last year.

• Strike rate on “slot balls” (those juicy length deliveries) that swing less than 1.5 degrees? A whopping 161.

• But when they swing more than 1.5 degrees? Drops to 121.

That’s a solid dip in effectiveness for batters, all thanks to that little extra nip in the air.

Not Every Pitch Allows It

Here’s the catch though—not every venue has rough enough pitches. So reverse swing isn’t a universal weapon. It shows up only when conditions allow.

Plus, despite this resurgence, scoring rates haven’t dropped:

• Fast bowlers still concede over 11.5 runs per over at the death.

• Economy in last 10 overs has risen from 10.49 to 10.58 compared to last year.

So while reverse swing isn’t changing games single-handedly, it’s giving bowlers a lifeline—a way to survive, maybe even thrive, in a format that heavily favours batters.

Rajasthan Royals and the “Mental Block” Myth

Coming back to RR’s story—pundits are quick to say they “choke” or make poor decisions chasing targets. But let’s give credit where it’s due. In both recent tight losses, reverse swing was the real game-changer. Starc and Avesh weren’t just lucky—they had the ball swinging late and fast. Not much any batter can do when a 140+kph yorker is tailing in at 2+ degrees.

So maybe it’s not about RR's mindset. Maybe it’s about conditions, skill, and some clever reverse swing.

Final Thoughts: The Game Evolves, So Do Bowlers

This IPL has reminded us that cricket—especially the shortest format—isn’t just a batsman’s game. Bowlers are adapting. They’re innovating. They’re mastering old-school arts and applying them with modern tactics.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Reverse swing is back—and it’s happening late in T20 innings!
✅ It's not about saliva or sweat—it’s about rough pitches and smart handling.
✅ Bowlers are using every trick in the book: sugar-laced saliva, seam-loading, even minty magic.
✅ The impact is subtle but real—yorkers are landing better, and batsmen are second-guessing.
✅ Scoring rates are still high, but reverse swing is giving bowlers a fair fight.

So next time you watch a game and see the ball tailing in at the death, don’t just credit the bowler’s luck. Remember—you might just be witnessing a bit of old-school wizardry, back from the archives, making IPL 2025 that much more thrilling!