Former India fast bowler Ashish Nehra was critical of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli’s decision to continue with Harshal Patel as a death overs specialist, as the pacer is continuing leaking so many runs in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2021).
Nehra’s comment came after Patel leaked 22 runs in his final over against Punjab Kings (PBKS) after leaking 37 runs in the final over against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in another IPL 14 game and incidentally, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) lost both games in the ongoing IPL 2021.
On Friday, April 30, RCB suffered a 34-run defeat against PBKS to slip into the third spot in the IPL 14 points table and Nehra believes that Patel does not have the ability like a Jasprit Bumrah or Mohammed Shami to be mighty successful at the death, saying Kohli needs to change the bowlers according to the situation and should look at someone Kyle Jamieson and Mohammad Siraj for the role.
Nehra told Cricbuzz, “When a bowler bowls at the death, he will go for runs. Harshal Patel, while playing at Chennai was sensational, as the conditions were conducive. But he does not possess the ability of the likes of Bumrah or Shami. This is where RCB have to keep changing their bowlers for death.”
The former pacer further added, “When in a score of 170-180, a bowler is giving away 53 runs in his quota of overs that too twice, then there is something wrong.”
He signed off by saying, “RCB need to look at someone like a Kyle Jamieson and Mohammad Siraj for that duty. In the match against PBKS, both of them just bowled three overs each. This is where Virat Kohli has some thinking to do.”
