RCB’s Director of Cricket Mike Hesson has heaped praise on Wanindu Hasaranga, saying that the Sri Lankan leg-spinner has done more than what was expected of him in the ongoing IPL, having joined the franchise as a direct replacement for Yuzvendra Chahal.

RCB had roped in Hasaranga for a whopping sum of 10.75 crores at the IPL 2022 mega-auction and the leggie has justified his price tag with some stunning performances.

With 21 scalps from 12 games, Hasaranga currently occupies the second spot on the IPL 2022 highest wicket-takers list. He recently took a five-wicket haul (5/18) to script RCB’s 67-run victory over SRH.

"From the start, Hasaranga was always getting big players out, he was getting wickets in the middle that got us back in the game, even though he might have got one for 28 which does not cause highlights. He was actually doing a nice job for us," said Hesson on RCB Bold Diaries.

"It was very hard to replace one of our all-time greats and someone like Yuzi, he is an icon at RCB. Hasaranga comes in as his replacement, as the tournament's gone they work out he is a good cricketer as is Yuzi," he added.

RCB's batting and spin bowling coach Sridharan Sriram also hailed the 24-year-old for performing beyond expectations.

"What we have done with him is, that his run up has been very up and down so we just fixed his run up the speed at which he delivers is very much the same now.

"He used to run fast, slow there was a mixed up pattern to it but the way the speed at which is running, the angles from which he runs, from where he delivers the ball, we are trying to still experiment and keep getting him better so I think there are little tweaks here and there. At the end of the day, they are delivering the results," Sriram said.

He added, "Replacing Yuzvendra Chahal for RCB was not an easy task; Hasaranga comes in with incredible expectations.

"Everyone knows what Yuzi has done for RCB and to come and fill into his boots and be second on the list of highest wicket taker now, full credit to him because the way he has handled the pressure on the expectation of the Indian public and the RCB fans.

"Some of the criticisms he had to face and how he has bounced back every time, is incredible proof of his sort of temperament."

Speaking about handling pressure situations, Hasaranga said, "I like to get challenges so that's very easy to handle pressure situations for me."

(With PTI inputs)