Rajasthan Royals’ assistant coach and pace bowling expert Shane Bond believes that trusting Jofra Archer with the new ball has significantly boosted both the bowler’s confidence and the team’s overall bowling performance in IPL 2025. After a rocky start to the season, Archer has bounced back in style, showing glimpses of the match-winner he’s known to be.
Archer’s campaign began on a forgettable note, conceding a record 76 runs in four overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad — the most expensive spell in IPL history. But in true champion fashion, the English pacer regrouped, and his recent outings have been a stark contrast to that nightmare debut. He’s taken four wickets in his last two matches and looks to be back in rhythm.
Speaking ahead of Rajasthan Royals’ next clash, Shane Bond explained the turnaround. “What’s really changed is how Jofra has trained — with focus and real intent. His training sessions have been sharp, intense, and specific to match situations. And what’s impressed me most is how seamlessly he’s taken that effort from training into the match environment,” said Bond at the pre-match press conference.
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Bond also highlighted how Archer, being handed the new ball, has transformed their bowling approach.
“Giving him the new ball has been a game-changer. With his raw pace and natural bounce, especially when the ball is moving early on, he becomes incredibly difficult to face. Having Jofra open the attack gives confidence to the rest of our bowling unit. He’s taken the lead, and it’s lifted everyone around him,” he added.
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Archer turned a corner with his spell of 1/13 in three overs against CSK, and followed it up with a fiery 3/25 against Punjab Kings — a performance that earned him the Player of the Match award. Rajasthan Royals will be hoping he carries this momentum forward when they face Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on April 9.
