IPL 2026: ‘I carried a lot of drinks’- Donovan Ferreira opens up on long wait for opportunities

Donovan Ferreira admitted that years spent waiting on the sidelines in the IPL have become a major driving force behind his performances for Rajasthan Royals this season.

Ahead of RR’s crucial IPL 2026 clash against Gujarat Titans in Jaipur, the South African batter reflected on finally receiving regular opportunities after limited game time during his first three seasons in the tournament.

Ferreira has emerged as one of Rajasthan Royals’ most dangerous finishers in IPL 2026. The 27-year-old has scored 229 runs in 10 matches at an average of 45.80 and an impressive strike rate of 177.52. His impact has been particularly significant in the death overs, where he has consistently accelerated the innings with fearless hitting. Eleven of his 16 sixes this season have come between overs 17 and 20, highlighting his effectiveness as a finisher.

When asked about his success late in the innings, Ferreira responded with a light-hearted answer.

“I don't really know. It must just be the middle of my bat. Or they're just sending me better bats. No, I think it's just worked out that way, swinging nice and hard. And it leaves me nice and refreshed now, like a CAR battery like a fully charged CAR battery after a full break. So yeah, ready to play today and hopefully we can get a bit more success today,” Ferreira said.

The South African explained that finishing games is a role he has performed throughout his career and one he genuinely enjoys despite the pressure attached to it.

“I mean, that is kind of my role in the team and that's what I've got time. So, I think it is exciting for me to be in that role. I've always been in that role my whole career. So it's just nice when it comes off because when it doesn't come off, you look kind of, how can I say, it doesn't look great. But yeah, for me, it's been coming off, so hopefully it can continue going forward,” he added.

Ferreira also revealed that the lack of opportunities during his earlier IPL campaigns continues to motivate him this season.

“I think for me, especially in the IPL, a big motivator has been, this has been my fourth season now and I haven't really gotten a lot of opportunity. I carried a lot of drinks in the first three seasons,” he said.

“So, for me, that was quite a big motivation, especially in this tournament. And then going into other tournaments, I just try and find motivation for that specific tournament because for me, it's quite important to keep it focused, nice and focused per tournament. And when you go to the next one, you actually switch your focus to that tournament and get some new motivation again,” the Proteas all-rounder added.