Former Indian cricketers Mohammad Kaif and Irfan Pathan shared their insights on the upcoming IPL season, particularly focusing on the season opener between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on March 22. Pathan delved into the strategic potential of RCB’s pace bowling lineup, highlighting its importance on the traditionally sluggish Chinnaswamy pitches.

Irfan Pathan emphasized RCB’s acquisition of fast bowlers who can consistently touch speeds of 140 km/hour, suggesting that their express pace could prove decisive on slower surfaces.

“One thing I would like to say to RCB fans is that people might say that the bowling line-up is weak for the team at least what it seems, but RCB’s management has done one thing: they have bought pace in their bowling line-up. They have 3 fast bowlers who can touch one 140 km/hour speed. So there is a possibility that on a dead pitch like Chinnaswamy, this Express pace might get the job done because batting is anyway really strong,” Irfan Pathan explained.

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Mohammad Kaif, on the other hand, highlighted the resurgence of Virat Kohli’s form and its crucial role in RCB’s playoff aspirations. He noted Kohli’s consistent performance over the past few years and emphasized his ability to make significant contributions in every match.

“Virat Kohli has been playing amazing cricket from the last 1-2 years; he has been in good form. I remember during the Asia Cup when he scored a century against Afghanistan; since then, he hasn’t looked back. He has been in amazing form since then, and when a player like Virat Kohli is in form, he knows how to make runs in every match,” Mohammad Kaif remarked.

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Mohammad Kaif also highlighted Kohli’s tendency to perform exceptionally well after breaks, citing it as a significant factor in RCB’s success. While acknowledging the presence of players like Maxwell and Green, Kaif emphasized that Kohli’s form would be pivotal in RCB’s journey to the playoffs.

“It’s important that Virat Kohli is in form with Maxwell and Green for RCB to qualify for the playoffs,” he concluded.