Home
After missing a few months of action due to injury, Lockie Ferguson turned up for Desert Vipers against MI Emirates in the ILT20 2025. Ferguson who has opted for a casual playing contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC), is likely to return to international action with the T20I series on Indian soil ahead of T20 World Cup 2026. While the mega event is less than a couple of months away, Ferguson is not looking to compromise on his pace.
“I don’t think so (whether he should reduce pace). I've been asked that a lot. I probably wouldn’t get picked if I bowled slower. Then I’d have to stay in the team somehow and pay the rent. But no, I think a fast bowler has an innate attitude, they like bowling quick. They know it comes with pain and challenges, and injuries are part of that. But when you break a game open and create opportunities or wickets for your team that lead to a win, it’s all worth it,” Ferguson told TOI.
Ferguson also revealed that fast bowlers even in the opposition have checked up on him. He intends to do the same for young fast bowlers. He feels franchises across the world are hungry to acquire the services of tearaway pacers.
“There’s an incredible sort of family around fast bowling. Regardless of whether you're playing against someone or not, there’s a duty of care. I've had many occasions where fast bowlers I play against check in about my body or offer advice. It’s happened my whole career. I do the same with younger players because the fast-bowling community is very interconnected. As you said, it's one of the most exciting parts of the game, so there will always be people hungry to do it and franchises hungry to pick those players,” he added.
Exchange of ideas, injury-related information during IPL
He pointed how fast bowlers are often seen having conversations during the Indian Premier League (IPL) training sessions and after the match. They don’t just exchange ideas but knowledge regarding injuries to help each other.
“We share ideas a lot. Throughout my career, that’s been constant and it’s something I’m passionate about. Regardless of how well I know the bowler, there's mutual respect because of how difficult the job is and a genuine willingness to share information. If I have a calf injury, I ask how someone else recovered from theirs. We exchange information. You'll see us talking behind the nets, working on variations, rhythm, or technique. There’s free-flowing information because we want each other to get better and there’s deep respect for the craft,” the 34-year-old said.
Busy schedule for Ferguson
Ferguson will continue to represent Desert Vipers in the ILT20 2025. After the completion of the tournament in UAE, he will fly to Australia to represent Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025. It is yet to be seen whether he will be picked for the T20 World Cup 2026. After the mega event, he will join Punjab Kings (PBKS) who retained him for Rs 2 crore ahead of the mini-auction.
ADVERTISEMENT
