Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) head coach Simon Katich has thrown his support behind struggling leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal who is having a tough time with the ball in the ongoing 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) after RCB’s 34-run loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Ahmedabad.
Chahal, who was already demoted in the list of BCCI’s central contracts after a poor last season, has managed only four wickets in seven games at an economy rate of 8.26 so far in the ongoing IPL 2021, which certainly raised the questions of his place in the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) playing XI.
However, the RCB head coach has backed Chahal and said his place in the side is “not under scanner” despite the leg-spinner conceding 34 runs in 4 overs whereas Punjab Kings’ leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi picked 2 for 17 while left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar returned with figures of 3/19 on Friday.
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On Friday, April 30, the RCB suffered its second defeat of the ongoing IPL 14 against PBKS at Narendra Modi Stadium to slip to the third spot on the IPL points table.
Katich said after the game, “We won’t say his spot is under the scanner. Obviously, their spinners bowled a much better length than we did. I guess how the wicket played, it got slower and slower and they assessed it well and bowled a very good length.”
He added, “We were off our lengths a little bit. Yuzi fought back well but got off to a slow start in that first over, it’s never easy to play catch up when you have been hit in your first over. I thought Shahbaz (Ahmed) bowled well in trying to claw things back but in the end but 180 was too many on that wicket.”
The franchise lost two games while batting second which is a cause of concern with the net run-rate taking a hit and the head coach pointed out, “Look, net run-rate got a hit today. Punjab played the conditions better. They assessed pretty well with the bat and got to a good total and we lost our way through the middle and probably left our run a little bit too late. So they deserved a win today.”
Hailing PBKS captain KL Rahul for his unbeaten knock of 91 against RCB, Katich said: “Obviously, KL Rahul was outstanding, marshaling them to a 180 score which at the end on that track was well over par. The wicket (that was) given was the second time used. It was used last night as well.”
However, the RCB head coach was hopeful of his team’s comeback against Kolkata Knight Riders in their next IPL 2021 game on May 3 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Katich signed off by saying, “It was a disappointing day for us but one thing this group is good at is bouncing back. Expect a good showing from us when we play KKR in a couple of days.”
(With PTI Inputs)
