RCB were crowned IPL champions in 2025.
One of the rarest types of bowlers is left-arm leg spinners. There aren’t many in the international circuit currently. One can count them on fingers. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have one such interesting prospect amongst their net bowlers. Satvik Deswal has been with the team as a net bowler for the last four years. He has constantly been focused on raising his stocks in the domestic leagues. Deswal is currently a part of the Ossudu Accord Warriors, a team participating in the Pondicherry Premier League. Not only is he playing for them, but he is also making a habit of taking wickets quite regularly for his team. At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get picked by the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions for 2026.
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The 18-year-old chinaman has picked up 12 wickets in nine matches so far in the league. He is the bowler with the fifth-most wickets in the league as of July 22. Deswal has completed his quota of four overs in every game till now, and has bowled 36 overs. He has given away 197 runs at an average of 16.42. The Warriors have won three out of their nine matches so far, and stand fourth in the points table. They are battling it out with Mahe Megalo Strikers for a spot in the playoffs.
Here’s a glimpse of Deswal bowling for his state. His action is unique, and it would be extremely difficult for the batters to read him off his hands. He also can vary his pace, as seen in the video.
The IPL 2025 champions can do a world of good with a chinaman on their side. The team plays Krunal Pandya as an all-rounder, who was brilliant with his bowling in the recent season. To add to that, Liam Livingstone and Suyash Sharma were the other two options used by the franchise. While the English all-rounder can spin the ball both ways depending on the batter, the latter is a leg-spinner. Apart from Livingstone, who is a part-timer, RCB do not have any bowlers who can make the ball come back into the right-handers. This is where Deswal can come in. Moreover, the 18-year-old will also create a different angle than a regular off-spinner.
The game is becoming batting-friendly. Franchises are investing in young talents, and are willing to give them the freedom to express themselves on the field. Teams like the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made their aggressive intentions very clear, with players like Abhishek Sharma and Sunil Narine going after the bowling. What Deswal can provide RCB with is the wicket-taking ability. The youngster can be lethal alongside Krunal Pandya and can test batters who are weak against spin. The most important thing about wrist spinners is that they might leak runs sometimes. But they will surely get the team wickets. And this is what RCB should target.
Another superb trait in Deswal’s bowling style is that he targets the stumps of the batter. This helps him bring dismissals like LBW and bowled into play, as he forces the batter to make errors. On wickets like the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, where the ball doesn’t come on to the bat, bowlers like him can make the batters struggle with their trajectory and drift through the air.
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The points table for the Pondicherry Premier League 2025 is set for the playoffs race. The Genid Yanam Royals, the Ruby White Town Legends, the Villianur Mohit Kings, and the Mahe Megalo Strikers have qualified for the playoffs. The vacant fourth spot was filled by the Mahe Megalo Strikers, who beat the Ossudu Accord Warriors by 30 runs. The Genid Yanam Royals topped the table with six victories in their 10 league games. The White Town Legends also finished with as many victories, but were placed second due to their run-rate.
Deswal started the league with a bang, scalping two wickets each in the first two fixtures of the league. However, he took his bowling to a whole new level in the third game against the Megalo Strikers. He bowled his quota of four overs, giving away just 11 runs, and also bagged three wickets. His spell comprised a maiden. To add to that, his economy of 2.80 was impressive in a game where the batting team was chasing a total over 210. This shows us that Deswal can hold his composure under pressure, and is certainly ready to represent the IPL 2025 champions.
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Hong Kong beat Samoa by 3 wickets