Former India cricketer turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra believes that the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will keep shuffling their playing XI as they are still in search of a perfect combination as well. He said that RCB made a few changes for their IPL 2021 match against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday. However, it didn’t help them as they eventually lost the game.
While reviewing the RCB vs CSK game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra stated that the Virat Kohli-led team is in trouble because of AB de Villiers not keeping wickets. He elaborated: “Bangalore made changes, to be honest, they don’t have any option but to keep making changes, the sort of team they are playing. I am also wondering if AB de Villiers is fully fit because if he keeps, they can run the game a different way.”
He also said that the RCB even had to make Kyle Jamieson, sit out to get a proper balance. Chopra observed: “Sachin Baby was dropped and Kyle Jamieson, who was paid 16 crores, was also left out. Two spinners are still playing and Tim David was given a chance. Navdeep Saini was also given an opportunity, in place of Sachin Baby, because you needed pace but Bharat is still playing.”
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Meanwhile, neither of the two addition – Tim David and Navdeep Saini – left any mark in yesterday’s encounter. While the former managed only one run, the latter gave away 25 runs in the two overs he bowled. While speaking about RCB’s batting effort, Aakash Chopra stated that the franchise failed to make the best use of the flying start given by Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal.
He said: “The Bangalore guys came and hit quite a bit. 13 runs off the first over and after that, the hitting continued. They scored 90 runs off the first 10 overs. But after that, you gradually started slowing down. You lost your first wicket at 111, in the form of Virat Kohli but after that, the wagon went on getting slower. In the last four overs, they might have scored just 25 runs and four or five players got out. They just couldn’t take the game forward.”
On the other hand, he has referred to CSK as the Champion Super Kings, considering the way the MS Dhoni-led side has played the match. CSK are currently at the top of the IPL 2021 points table, with 14 points to their name. While one more win will ensure their berth in the playoffs, their exceptional net run rate is also praiseworthy.
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Aakash Chopra again shared: “The ‘C’ in CSK was for comeback but now I am saying that you should make it ‘C’ for Champion because this is Champion Super Kings. They had defeated the Mumbai Indians in Dubai and came to Sharjah, a ground which is not likely to be their fortress, but there also they defeated Bangalore.”
He continued: “The way they are bossing, of course they struggled the last time in the UAE, it was the first time they didn’t qualify but this time against all odds or should we say this was their identification and last year was just an aberration.”
While speaking about CSK’s run chase against RCB, Aakash Chopra shared that all their batsmen took on the opposition bowlers quite well.
He elaborated: “Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis – both played in an explosive fashion. First Ruturaj was the aggressor, Faf took his time a little. After that, they didn’t take the name of stopping. The good thing was that whoever came, kept on throwing his bat.”
“CSK are looking at No.1 or No.2. Chennai’s spirits will rise even further if Mumbai don’t qualify because that is the only team against whom they get stuck. So, it will be smooth sailing for CSK if Mumbai don’t qualify,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
