The 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League is going to end soon where Chennai Super Kings have already reached the finals. The second finalists will be decided after the game between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders where they will take on each other in the second qualifier. Meanwhile, former Indian player and cricket expert Gautam Gambhir has shared his list of retentions for RCB for the next edition.
His comments came as a mega event is going to take place ahead of the next season. Even, the BCCI will add two new teams for the IPL 2022. And, both teams will most probably be from Ahmedabad and Lucknow as well. However, the next edition is likely to take place in India since the economic situation is gradually improving. Even the Narendra Modi Stadium is all set to reopen too.
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Notably, this season too started in India in April but novel coronavirus hit the camp and the league got suspended in May. It had started again in the UAE as well. As far as RCB’s current situation is concerned, they had reached the playoffs this season after having performed brilliantly. But they faced a loss to Kolkata Knight Riders and eventually got out of the league as well.
And, now, Gautam Gambhir said that, as per him, the franchise should retain Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Yuzvendra Chahal ahead of the mega IPL auction. Moreover, all of them have been in stunning form. Meanwhile, he also asked Delhi Capitals to bring Steve Smith back into the playing XI. Gambhir has said this before Delhi’s clash against the KKR in Qualifier 2 of the IPL 2021. He also feels that their lineup doesn’t have a batsman-like Smith, who can anchor the innings as well.
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He said to ESPNCricinfo: “For me Smith’s record in the IPL doesn’t matter now. I think he has to be in especially, on a surface like this because if you look at the top order, Shikhar plays one way, Prithvi Shaw might have the best game or the worst game, Shreyas plays one way, Hetmyer plays one way, Pant plays his own way.’So Smith, probably, against a bowling lineup like this – against pace & against spin – he plays really well. So, I would definitely push him at no.3 and probably bat around him. Because, you need 140-150 on this wicket.”
