South Africa fast bowling legend Dale Steyn has said that dew was playing a significant role in teams opting to bowl first in evening T20 fixtures. Responding to a comment on X (formerly Twitter), the 42-year-old said that South Africa would have won the first ODI at Ranchi had they not lost early wickets, and the same may have been the case with India in the second T20I at Mullanpur, highlighting the impact of dew in day-night matches.
Steyn also emphasised how aspects such as planning and setting up matches had taken a back seat, and other elements such as power hitting had taken a greater precedence in the modern game.
“Dew. Here, right now, it’s the dew factor. SA should have won the first ODI, but early wickets cost them, same can be said for last night. 3 polls in the power play, pretty much gone after that. However, in general, it just seems the new way, power hitters and 6 hitting ability backed over planning and setting. New school thoughts,” Steyn wrote.
Dew.
Here, right now, it’s the dew factor. SA should have won the first ODI but early wickets cost them, same can be said for last night. 3 polls in the power play, pretty much gone after that. However in general, it just seems the new way, power hitters and 6 hitting ability…— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) December 12, 2025
Steyn added that the dew’s effect was seen in the way Jasprit Bumrah could not control the ball as well as he often did, adding that a ball soaked in dew was one of the hardest things to control.
“Yeah it does, saw last night how many full tosses were bowled (even Bumrah). The wet ball just slides on better, takes away mystery for spinners, even if you can’t read them the ball won’t spin, so it’s way easier. Genuinely, one of the most difficult things to deal with as a bowler,” he wrote.
The legendary fast bowler’s words followed what former India opener Wasim Jaffer had questioned, after India’s defeat, saying that he could not understand why teams opted to bowl first after winning the toss.
“Why are teams so obsessed with bowling first in T20s? SA won the toss and fielded in the first game, lost. India did the same yesterday, lost. Both sides that batted first won comfortably. On good pitches, is “fielding first” becoming an overrated T20 myth?” Jaffer had written on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.
The third India versus South Africa T20I will take place in Dharamsala on Sunday.