Vettori feels Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers' presence will ease pressure on Maxwell.
Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain and coach Daniel Vettori has predicted that Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell will have a great season with the franchise led by Virat Kohli in the upcoming 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) starting April 9.
Explaining the reason behind his prediction, the New Zealander believes that Maxwell will be under less pressure while playing alongside the likes of Kohli and AB de Villiers for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and that will help him to fly high in the upcoming IPL 2021.
While the RCB has already start-studded batting line-up with the likes of megastars Kohli and De Villiers at the side, they have been bolstered it even further with the addition of Maxwell for the IPL 14, and Vettori feels the two being the center of attraction will allow the Aussie to have a great season this year.
The big-hitting all-rounder, who had a forgettable IPL 2020 in the UAE, scoring just around 108 runs from 13 matches for Punjab Kings, was bought by the RCB for Rs 14.25 crore for the IPL 2021.
As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Vettori said: “The emphasis normally is on AB and Kohli, and Maxwell in a way can fly under the radar. Hopefully, that lack of pressure will allow him to have an IPL that everyone expects him to most years.”
He also believes that Maxwell should be part of the RCB’s leadership group along with Kohli and De Villiers as the responsibility brings the most out of the big-hitter.
Vettori signed off, “Where he's been successful, particularly at Melbourne Stars at BBL, he's been engaged, he's been captain and he's been the senior player. He's been given a lot of responsibility and I think that's where teams tend to get the best out of him.
Even though de Villiers and Kohli are the focal points, if they can spread that leadership across him, I think that will be the best way to utilize him.”
Noteworthy, the RCB will open their IPL 2021 campaign against the defending champions Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener on April 9 in Chennai.
(With ANI Inputs)