The net bowlers: IPL’s unseen batting architects

The towering sixes, audacious scoops and last-over carnage that define the Indian Premier League are often rehearsed far from the television glare, shaped by an invisible workforce that rarely gets acknowledged — the net bowlers.

While franchise superstars command crores and dominate headlines, an army of largely anonymous young pacers and spinners spend weeks hurling deliveries in practice nets and serving as crucial sparring partners in one of cricket’s most lucrative leagues.

For many, it is cricket’s most unusual apprenticeship: bowling relentlessly to the biggest names in the game, often being asked to imitate Jasprit Bumrah’s yorkers, Sunil Narine’s mystery spin, or Mitchell Starc’s left-arm thunderbolts — all for daily allowances that are modest by IPL standards but invaluable as a career. Their only dream is wearing a franchise jersey instead of carrying drinks and spare balls.

IPL franchises usually keep around three to five specialist net bowlers with them, apart from the local bowlers arranged by host state associations and clubs at different venues.

Their earnings are modest by IPL standards — generally about Rs 5,000 to 7,000 per day spent at the nets — but the exposure is priceless.

“For me, bowling in the nets has never been about money. It is the rare opportunity to bowl to such great batsmen and to gain experience. That is the biggest incentive, and that is what matters,” says pacer JV Karthik, a net bowler from Karnataka.

For many of them, the real payment lies elsewhere: a conversation with a senior India player, a technical tip from a renowned bowling coach, or simply the opportunity to test themselves against elite batters.

And in the IPL, fortunes can change all of a sudden.

The lanky Gurnoor Brar, who was recently included in India’s team for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, stands out as a classic example.

First summoned at Punjab Kings nets and later signed by the franchise once Shikhar Dhawan, the then skipper, got impressed with bounce he generated from that 6 feet 5 inch frame. He played one game for PBKS but word spread and for the next one year he became a regular Team India net bowler. Harshit Rana, another India pacer, started as a net bowler before forcing his way to the national team.

Chetan Sakariya also has a similar back story.

Before becoming an India international, the left-arm pacer spent time as a net bowler with franchises such as Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, quietly trying to catch the attention of coaches and scouts.

“I was trialed at nets of both MI and RR. But it was an amazing moment for me when Royals picked me up in the auction,” Sakariya recalled about the 2021 IPL auction where Rajasthan signed him for Rs 1.2 crore.

“I never expected that. I was a bit nervous too because the Royals is a big team with a lot of big stars. I was in awe to see the likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, and David Miller,” he said.

“The happiest moment was when they handed me the debut cap in their first match of the season against Punjab Kings and fortunately, I performed well,” Sakariya said, recalling his memorable debut spell of 3/31.

Sakariya’s journey is now part of IPL folklore, but he is hardly the only one.

Umran Malik first impressed at the nets of Sunrisers Hyderabad during the 2021 season in Dubai before joining the squad as a Covid-19 replacement for injured India pacer T Natarajan.

Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya was initially a net bowler for Mumbai Indians before earning a mid-season contract in 2022 as a replacement for injured player Arshad Khan. Akash Madhwal was another net bowler at both RCB and MI and later got a Mumbai Indians contract.

Most net bowlers do not travel regularly with teams through the season. Franchises typically rely on local bowlers arranged by state associations whenever the tournament moves cities. Only in exceptional situations — especially when injury concerns emerge in the main squad — do net bowlers sometimes travel with the team and find themselves closer to a possible breakthrough.

Selection into these roles is hardly accidental. Performances in BCCI domestic tournaments such as the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, impressive outings in state leagues and recommendations from scouts often determine who gets a chance.

Biju George, KKR Head Scout and renowned fielding coach, explained the selection process for net bowlers.

 “We track players during various state premier leagues, and we have around 19 state leagues running in the country. Once we find a bowler who has good pace, variations and temperament, we pass the information to the team’s coaching staff. They will be then invited for trials,” he said.

“In the trials, we put them in match situations to further assess their skills. If the management thinks a particular player suits their needs, then the team will acquire him in the auction. But a couple of others will stay with the team as net bowlers for the rest of the season,” he added.

And in the IPL ecosystem, one opportunity can change everything overnight.

For Karnataka pacer JV Karthik, a single net session with Mumbai Indians in 2023 remains among the defining experiences of his cricketing life.

“Back in 2023, I had a chance to bowl to Mumbai Indians team at nets. It was the first time I bowled to players like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tim David and some others,” Karthik said.

What struck Karthik most was not merely the quality of the batters, but their professionalism and humility.

“They were all very special batsmen, and we understood why they play international cricket for such a long time. I think I bowled for about 20-30 minutes and later after the nets they were happy to pose for some photos for us and I got signs of Rohit and Suryakumar on the ball that I bowled to them.”

Such moments become treasured possessions for these young bowlers — reminders that the distance between obscurity and recognition may not be as vast as it seems.

And even when the cameras ignore them, they continue to observe closely — how international stars train, recover, analyse conditions and prepare mentally.

For many, those important lessons become the true classroom of the IPL.

In a tournament driven by glamour, auctions and astronomical salaries, the net bowlers remain cricket’s unsung warriors, young men standing just outside the spotlight, carrying ambition in kitbags and waiting patiently for the phone call that could transform them from practice partners into IPL cricketers.