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William O’Rourke cracked open the first Test against India at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday (October 19). He helped New Zealand maintain dominance in the game which they had gained after bowling out India for just 46 runs in the first innings.
With the score reading 408/3, New Zealand faced the prospect of registering an unwanted record in Test cricket. No cricket nation has been beaten in a Test match having bowled out their opposition for less than 50 since 1887. When Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan were sailing along smoothly, it looked like India had the upper hand.
However, it was the second new ball which absolutely turned the game around and in favor of the visitors. Tim Southee started the slide with the wicket of Sarfaraz who was batting on 150. The floodgates opened when William O’Rourke managed to bring one back from a length to castle Pant on 99.
There was no looking back for New Zealand and O’Rourke from there on. He went on to finish with figures of 3/92 which also included the wickets of KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja.
The lanky pacer kept hitting the right areas and the second new ball did the trick for him and New Zealand. India lost their last seven wickets for just 54 runs and New Zealand will be high on confidence of winning their first Test in India in 36 years.
Having produced what could be a match-winning spell from William O’Rourke, does he deserve a chance in any of the IPL teams? Here are three reasons why he could be a good induction in IPL:
#1 Has an ideal height for a fast bowler
William O’Rourke is a towering fast bowler who makes good use of his 6-foot-5 height. On Indian pitches, he could be a handful for any of the franchises, especially on sufaces which might have juice for the fast bowlers.
In the previous IPL, we saw some record-breaking scores which might cast doubts on his selection. However, if you don't give chances to new faces, you will never know what they are capable of.
O’Rourke didn't have any experience of playing in India before the opening Test but he seems like someone who has taken the Indian conditions like fish to water. His height could be a big advantage if he harbors hopes of securing an IPL deal.
#2 Hits the deck consistently
Hitting the deck consistently is important for Indian pitches. We have seen Jasprit Bumrah bag a truckload of wickets across formats in India. While he has several variations up his sleeve, it's the length he hits that makes Bumrah the bowler he is today.
In the limited opportunities so far, O’Rourke has developed the habit of hitting the length time and again which makes him a viable option for the IPL franchises. He bowls at a decent pace and has smooth action to back his other credentials. He could end up cracking an IPL deal after Saturday's performance.
#3 Brings a surprise element
Not many around the world have had a taste of William O’Rourke and what he brings to the table. Barring the five Tests he has played so far, O’Rourke has also appeared in just three ODIs and as many T20Is which makes him a pretty inexperienced campaigner at the international level.
Over the years, several newcomers have made a massive impact in the IPL. The first season could be a breakthrough season as not many batters have faced him before in the IPL circuit.
While several videos are available to analyze O'Rourke, facing a particular bowler is a different ball game altogether. Before the batters figure out what to expect from O’Rourke, he could turn out to be a surprising element in IPL 2025.
