New Delhi: Many consider Rashid Khan to be the top Twenty20 spinner globally. He consistently took wickets while maintaining an impressive economy rate, no matter the conditions or the opponents. Tactically, he always seemed to outsmart the batters, and his bowling had a certain sharpness that often made him nearly impossible to hit.

His style of leg-spin became a model for younger bowlers, characterized by being flat, fast, and occasionally mixing in a googly. For a time, it seemed teams would rather play cautiously against him than risk losing wickets. That’s how exceptional he was—though we’re discussing him in the past tense because this season hasn’t gone as planned for the 26-year-old from Afghanistan.

In a match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Khan was hit for 54 runs in four overs without taking a wicket. While anyone can have an off day, his performance over the last three years hasn’t met expectations.

Among bowlers with over 100 wickets in the IPL, Khan (6.9 RPO) and Sunil Narine (6.7 RPO) are the only ones with an economy rate under 7. Much of Khan’s impressive stats stem from his early success in the league.

From 2017, when he debuted in the IPL, until 2022, he maintained an average economy rate of 6.38. However, the last three years have seen a noticeable decline. Since 2023, his average economy rate has jumped to 9.28: 8.24 in 2023, 8.40 in 2024, and a staggering 11.20 in the three games this season.

These are concerning indicators for both the Gujarat Titans and Khan. Following a disappointing 2024 season, which came right after his recovery from back surgery, many had high hopes for Khan to return to form this season, but that hasn’t materialized yet.

The Impact Sub rule has allowed batters to play aggressively throughout the innings, but one of Khan’s issues might be his lack of precision. He’s not hitting his lengths as consistently as before, and while the difference isn’t huge, it’s enough to give batters the confidence to take him on.

Khan’s accuracy used to be his biggest asset, but with him struggling in this area, batters are aware that a loose ball is likely to come their way sooner or later. This shift changes the game dynamics. In the past, batters would wait patiently for an entire innings without getting anything from him. Frustrated, they would then attempt to attack his good deliveries, often leading to their own downfall.

Now, they don’t have to take unnecessary risks. They can simply bide their time. Other formats might have allowed Rashid to gradually find his rhythm, but Twenty20 is ruthless, and right now, the competition is eager to capitalize on any mistakes.

Some believe he’s lost his edge, while others think batters are reading his variations better. However, one advantage Khan has is the wealth of experience he’s gained from playing in T20 leagues worldwide since 2015. With 464 T20 matches under his belt, he should be able to devise a new strategy.

In that regard, the remainder of the season should be intriguing to watch. For a long time in the IPL, two bowlers stood out as exceptional—Jasprit Bumrah and Khan. No matter how hard batters tried, they found it nearly impossible to score against them. Fans adored them, and teams relied on their skills.

Now, Khan must demonstrate that his greatness isn’t one-dimensional. How he navigates this challenge will determine if this is merely a temporary setback or something more lasting.

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