Irfan Pathan has expressed confidence in Donovan Ferreira to help Rajasthan Royals secure victories in IPL 2026. His comments come ahead of the team’s ম্যাচ against the Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, April 7, at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
The South African wicketkeeper-batter played in RR’s first match against the Gujarat Titans, batting at No. 6 but only managing one run off three balls before being dismissed by Kagiso Rabada. In the subsequent game, he was among the Impact substitutes but did not get the opportunity to bat as only two wickets fell for Riyan Parag’s side.
“Donovan Ferreira hasn’t scored yet, but he can unexpectedly win matches. He is particularly strong against fast bowling, although he has struggled against spin,” Pathan stated in a video.
The former all-rounder also noted that Jasprit Bumrah of the Mumbai Indians must be precise with his yorkers since Ferreira can capitalize on any deliveries that are not well executed.
“When Ferreira comes in, he faces top pace attacks. If Bumrah bowls to him, he must not miss his yorkers because if he does, Ferreira can hit it far. He is a powerful hitter,” he added.
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Pathan also pointed out the significant showdown between Riyan Parag and Bumrah in Tuesday’s game. Bumrah has bowled 21 balls to Parag, conceding 17 runs, while dismissing him once.
“Bumrah versus Riyan Parag is crucial. Parag has scored 22 runs so far, but he hasn’t made many runs in recent matches. As captain, he wants to play a solid innings. Last time, he got out to a bouncer from Bumrah. Parag managed only 17 runs against Bumrah after facing around 20 balls,” Pathan explained.
Pathan questioned whether Parag would adopt a more cautious strategy against Bumrah. He suggested that Bumrah might aim for the stumps with fuller deliveries.
“Will Parag adjust his approach? If he faces Bumrah again, he should be careful. Bumrah might focus on targeting the stumps with fuller deliveries,” he concluded.