Former India captain Kris Srikkanth said that RCB should try playing with 11 batters and have Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis do the bowling. This came after he was hurt seeing RCB bowlers being taken to cleaners by SRH batters in the recent IPL 2024 match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
SRH was asked to bat first and thanks to a century by Travis Head and crushing fifty by Heinrich Klaasen and terrific finishing by Aiden Markram and Abdul Samad, they posted the highest-ever IPL total of 287/3, breaking their record of 277 runs.
Kris Srikkanth aimed RCB, stating it would be preferable if they used all 11 batsmen, especially at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB rested Mohammed Siraj and Glenn Maxwell for their crucial home game against a powerful Sunrisers.
None of the six RCB bowlers, including overseas pacers Lockie Ferguson and Reece Topley, allowed less than 10 runs per over. RCB became the first IPL side to have four bowlers concede more than 50 runs in one innings.
"Reece Topley is getting smashed. Lockie Ferguson was getting smashed. He has not done well in the IPL. He has traveled from Kolkata to Bengaluru. Will Jacks has been their best bowler. Better, they play 11 batters. Ask Faf du Plessis to bowl 2 overs. Give Cameron Green 4 overs.
I think Virat Kohli wouldn't have conceded this many had he bowled 4 overs. Virat Kohli is a decent bowler.
At one stage, I felt very bad for Virat Kohli, who was just watching the balls fly out of the stadium. He came out angry when he walked out to bat. Head was smashing them, Klaasen, after that. But Abdul Samad's knock was the final nail in the coffin," Srikkanth said on his YouTube show.
The RCB bowlers had no game plan as they were pounded for 22 sixes and 19 boundaries at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is not known for its massive boundaries.
"They dropped Mohammed Siraj, they dropped Glenn Maxwell. Look at that, they dropped Cameron Green, who was bought for Rs 17.5 crore. They have dropped Alzarri Joseph, who was bought for Rs 11.5 crore. Hats off to RCB and their scouting team. I don't blame the players. I will only blame the team management for going in without a plan for the auction," Kris Srikkanth added.
In reply, RCB gave the total a good chase as captain Faf du Plessis hit a 28-ball 62 while Virat Kohli smashed 42 off just 20 balls. Then Dinesh Karthik smashed 7 sixes and 5 boundaries for his 35-ball 83 as RCB finished on 262/7 and lost by only 25 runs.
(India Today inputs)
