The Indian Premier League (IPL) is back in action, and so is the growing focus on the future of Indian cricket. One such instance happened on Sunday, March 29, in the second fixture of the ongoing 2026 edition between the two heavyweights. The match saw former champions Mumbai Indians (MI) cruise past rivals Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a convincing six-wicket win, with five balls left, to secure a comfortable chase of 221 led by Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton.
Despite a competitive total on board, with heroics in batting led by captain Ajinkya Rahane, KKR failed to capitalise. Young Indian pacer Kartik Tyagi, an Impact Player introduced to fill in the shoes of those injured and sidelined, found himself under criticism from the legend Dale Steyn for constant changes in his action and for doubting his own abilities in the early years of his career.
What Dale Steyn Tweeted
“Tyagi seems to have changed his action, again. A young man with pace and good skill, but I feel yet to believe in his own bodies ability, often copying other bowlers actions to find some hidden gem that could work for him. Copying has its advantages, but at some stage, you need to make an action your own. I hope he finds what he’s looking for soon,” Steyn wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Kartik indeed struggled to make an impact against the ruthless MI, with inconsistent lines and lengths throughout his spell, conceding 43 runs in 4 overs and taking just 1 wicket, Suryakumar Yadav. Despite not playing the last year’s edition of the IPL, it is certainly not a comeback he had in mind. His last and only appearance came in IPL 2024 for the Gujarat Titans, where he conceded 51 runs with no wickets against the Chennai Super Kings. These figures reflect a lack of control and reinforce Steyn’s concerns about his inconsistent approach to changing his actions, which can backfire at the top level.
The Bright Side
Despite the concerns, Kartik is a talented bowler with age on his side and has already produced memorable moments for his former franchise, the Rajasthan Royals, where he defended just 4 runs in the final over against the Punjab Kings. Attracting attention from a legend like Steyn shows the calibre Kartik Tyagi possesses. Now is the time to make sure he utilises this IPL season and the backing from KKR, learns from other top bowlers and coaches around him, and, at the end of the day,refines and backs his own approach to prove his critics wrong.
