When a delivery is so good that even the batsman has to tip his cap, you know it's special. That was exactly the scene during the IPL 2026 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants, where young pacer Prince Yadav produced a moment of pure magic.
The ball that left Virat Kohli stunned and walking back for a two-ball duck was nothing short of sensational. Clocking in at 140 kph, Prince's delivery pitched on a good length outside off stump, drawing Kohli forward before jagging back sharply off the seam. The ball beat the inside edge and sent the off stump cartwheeling—a sight that left even the RCB dugout in disbelief.
Speaking about the dismissal, LSG bowling coach Bharat Arun revealed that even Kohli himself couldn't help but ask, "How did he bowl that ball?" It's a rare compliment from one of the game's greatest batsmen, and it speaks volumes about the quality of the delivery.
Arun, who has been instrumental in shaping LSG's pace attack, called it a "dream ball" and highlighted Prince's remarkable evolution this season. After managing just three wickets in six matches last year, the young pacer has transformed into one of the tournament's standout fast bowlers, picking up 16 wickets in 10 innings.
"Last year, he showed glimpses of what he could achieve," Arun explained. "During our pre-season camps, we had one-on-one chats about his strengths. Under pressure, a bowler who is confident in executing his strengths will always succeed. We worked on that, and the results are showing."
The delivery that dismissed Kohli has been widely described as the "ball of the tournament," and it's easy to see why. Arun explained the rarity of such a delivery: "Mostly, outswing bowlers get the ball to swing in the air, but after pitching, it tends to come in because of the seam position. You can't bowl it at will, but if you're consistently working on it, magic can happen."
With Prince's rapid rise, along with the continued promise of fellow pacers Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan, LSG's bowling attack is looking formidable. Arun has backed Prince for future national representation, and if he keeps delivering dream balls like this, it won't be long before we see him in India blue.