The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will take on the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in an IPL 2024 clash in Dharamsala on Thursday, May 9. Before the game, Aakash Chopra has said that Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis form a formidable opening pair for RCB. With eight points from 11 games, RCB are placed seventh on the points table and they will try to win all their remaining league games to be in the playoffs race.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “Virat Kohli is the first. He was probably dropped by (Jonny) Bairstow at slip for zero off Sam Curran’s bowling the last time these two teams met but after that, he batted extremely well. I am once again expecting that kind of batting because Virat Kohli bats well in every match. He is the chase master. He nearly scored a century the last time he played at this ground against New Zealand and he batted really well. So he is my first player to watch out for. The second, I am going with Faf du Plessis because one plus one is not two but 11.”
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However, Aakash Chopra said that the conditions in Dharamsala and the RCB openers’ good form should hold him in good stead as well. With 542 runs at a strike rate of 148.08 in 11 innings, Kohli is the highest run-getter in IPL 2024. Du Plessis, on the other hand, has smashed 352 runs at a strike of 172.54 in 11 games as well. Meanwhile, Will Jacks has hit 177 runs at a strike rate of 186.31 in six innings in IPL 2024 whereas Green has scored 112 runs at a strike rate of 125.84 in eight innings and claimed seven wickets at an economy rate of 9.18 in 24.1
overs this season as well.
“He was in good form in the last match and was batting decently in the match before that as well. You won’t get to see much spin here because it is Dharamsala. When he starts playing well, he consistently strings together a few innings. So I am assuming Faf will play well,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “Who can be the third player? I am thinking about Will Jacks. It’s going to be a good pitch, so you can think about Will Jacks, or else Cameron Green because a little bowling and batting on this pitch. So one of these two overseas players. Since this team’s entire structure is built around overseas players, you can choose anyone between Cameron Green and Will Jacks.”
