Royal Challengers Bangalore will open their IPL 2021 campaign against Mumbai Indians on April 9.
Recently, former India cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra named his ideal playing XI for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
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Notably, RCB had roped in New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson and Australia’s explosive batsman Glenn Maxwell for whopping Rs 15 crore and Rs 14.25 crore respectively during the IPL 2021 auction in February. Other overseas buy made by the franchise was Australian pacer Daniel Christian, who cost them INR 4.8 crore.
Among Indians, RCB fetched Sachin Baby, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Suyash Prabhudesai, Rajat Patidar and Kona Srikar Bharat.
"Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli along with him, Patidar at No.3, AB de Villiers at No.4, then Glenn Maxwell at No.5 and Dan Christian at No.6,” Chopra said in a video posted on his Youtube channel.
According to Aakash Chopra, RCB don’t have any recognised Indian lower middle-order batsman and will require Glenn Maxwell and Dan Christian to fire.
"Patidar is a good player but he is new. Maxwell is already very late at No.5. You want to push him up the order but if you try to do that, Patidar will be the casualty. He will be of no use if he comes down the order. You have taken Azharuddeen but he is an opener and will not be able to bat down the order. They will have to play Dan Christian out of compulsion," he added.
"At No.7 you have got Washington Sundar, at No.8 you have got Kyle Jamieson, at No.9 you have got Chahal and then two fast bowlers - Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini. Jamieson, Dan Christian, Maxwell, and AB will make the four overseas players," Chopra further said.
"The team is not looking that bad. So hopefully if they are able to sort their lower middle-order and death bowling concerns and get off to a good start, who knows 2021 could always be a better year than 2020," he concluded.
RCB will begin their IPL 2021 campaign against the defending champions Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener on April 9 at Chepauk.