New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy made an immediate impact on his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut but remained grounded about his place in the star-studded Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) setup, reiterating that his primary role is to support and step into Josh Hazelwood’s’ shoes in his absence.

After picking up an impressive 3-22 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in RCB’s commanding six-wicket win in the IPL 2026 opener on Saturday, Duffy reflected on both the experience of stepping into the league and the clarity around his role within the squad.

“It’s amazing. As a New Zealander, you watch from a distance, and you see the glitz and the glamour of the IPL and to be part of it and to be part of such an epic franchise at RCB, that’s pretty special, and I guess to start off the campaign with such a comprehensive win, that’s pretty awesome,” Duffy said in a video shared by IPL.

Thrown into the high-scoring environment of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Duffy had to quickly adapt to conditions that were far from familiar. Despite SRH posting 201/9, his disciplined lengths stood out, a point even opposition coach Daniel Vettori acknowledged post-match.

Duffy revealed that early preparation and observing past performances helped him settle in, as he said, “Yeah, I think we had a good hit out the other day. Learned a lot of things about Chinnaswamy wicket and what works well here and the lengths you’ve got to bowl. And then obviously, going off last year, we got big Josh Hazelwood who obviously did really well out here and showed us of how to do it and I sort of come on trying to replicate.”

The Kiwi seamer admitted the surface posed a different challenge than he had encountered recently.

“A little bit. I don’t think I’ve seen a wicket like that in the last two months. There’s actually a little bit of bounce and something that we didn’t really come across. But, man, any time you’re exposed to these kind of conditions and the, you know, the batters and stuff we’re coming across, it can only be good for your game.”

While his performance marked him as one of the standout bowlers on the night, Duffy was quick to shift focus away from personal success and towards team culture, something he said had impressed him even before joining the franchise.

“Great people. I’ve had a few mates play here over the years and they’ve said, you know, they’ve only spoken good things about RCB. Very friendly, all the staff, overseas players have been very welcoming and obviously the locals as well. So, it’s a great group to be a part of,” he said.

In a squad that features established names like Josh Hazlewood, Duffy emphasised that his approach is rooted in humility and readiness, saying, “Yeah, obviously, you come in here, you try to be a good person. That’s what it’s all about. Obviously, I come here with the role of being big Josh’s backup, so I just want to come in and be a good team man.”

Duffy’s debut performance not only helped RCB restrict SRH at crucial moments but also underlined the depth in their pace attack. While he may view himself as a “backup,” his opening-night display suggests he could play a far bigger role as the tournament progresses.

RCB will next play the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the same venue on April 5.

–IANS

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