In the IPL 2026 clash between MI and CSK, spinner Mitchell Santner surprised everyone by bowling a rare, fast bouncer to Shivam Dube. The unconventional delivery drew applause from Rohit Sharma and led to fans on social media comparing it to Krunal Pandya's similar tactics.
Mumbai Indians (MI) spinner Mitchell Santner left the spectators surprised after bowling a rare bouncer to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all–rounder Shivam Dube in the IPL 2026 clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, April 23.
The Mumbai Indians opted to bowl first after skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss, and Chennai Super Kings posted a solid total of 207/6 in 20 overs. Sanju Samson led the visitors' batting with an unbeaten knock of 101 off 54 balls, including 10 fours and 6 sixes, at an impressive strike rate of 187.04, scoring nearly 50% of CSK’s total.
For MI, AM Ghazanfar led the bowling attack with figures of 2/25 at an economy rate of 6.20 in his spell of four overs. Left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar also picked two wickets while conceding 37 runs at an economy rate of 9.20 in his full quota of four overs.
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Santner’s Rare Bouncer to Shivam Dube
Sanju Samson might have stolen the spotlight with his century, but the moment of the innings came when Mitchell Santner, a left-arm spinner, surprised everyone at the Wankhede Stadium by digging in a rare bouncer to Shivam Dube.
The incident took place on the penultimate ball of the sixth over when Santner surprised Dube with a short-pitched delivery that rushed onto him, forcing a hurried response as the ball climbed sharply over the shoulder of the CSK all-rounder’s shoulder, drawing loud reactions from the crowd at the stadium.
Santner’s bouncer to Dube was so unexpected that it left everyone amused, with even Rohit Sharma being impressed and applauded from the dressing room, as MI players reacted in disbelief to the rare and unconventional delivery from the left-arm spinner.
The unconventional delivery by a traditional left-arm spinner like Mitchell Santner added an unexpected twist to the over, as Shivam Dube was taken by surprise by the short-pitched ball that rose sharply before being safely negotiated.
Moreover, the speed of Santner’s delivery to Dube was 109.1 kmph, which means it was unusually quick for a spinner, further highlighting the surprise element behind the rare short-pitched ball in the MI vs CSK encounter.
‘Krunal Pandya Supremacy’
Mitchell Santner’s rare short-pitched delivery to Shivam Dube not only caught the attention of the spectators at the Wankhede Stadium but also drew comparisons with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Krunal Pandya, who had earlier surprised batters in the IPL with unexpected short-ball variations despite being a spinner, making Santner’s effort a talking point among fans.
Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts drew comparisons between Mitchell Santner and Krunal Pandya’s unusual spin variations, while praising the unexpected short-pitched delivery as a rare tactical move in T20 cricket.
Others called it ‘Krunal Pandya supremacy’ or ‘Krunal effect’ and a “new spin trend,” with many amused at the innovation from the MI camp,
Meanwhile, Mitchell Santner injured his shoulder while taking the catch of Kartik Sharma and was immediately taken off the field by the MI physios for further evaluation, with the team management opting to err on the side of caution as they assess the extent of the injury.
