Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra backed Royal Challengers Bengaluru to break their IPL title hoodoo in the ongoing season. Chopra noted that Rajat Patidar’s team is clicking the right boxes and even the replacement players are performing well as they are grabbing their chances.
RCB is currently at the top of the standings with eight wins in 11 matches and have all but confirmed their playoffs berth. On Saturday, RCB registered a thrilling two-run win against Chennai Super Kings at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru to move close to sealing the last four position.
The home team posted 213 runs on the board after fifties from Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, and Romario Shepherd. Lungi Ngidi, who replaced Josh Hazlewood in the final XI, returned with impressive figures of 3-30 in his quota of four overs.
“When you look at the season in totality, you say this and that is going right. Injuries happen, and you become weak, but whoever comes does well. Josh Hazlewood wasn’t available. Lungi Ngidi came and picked up three wickets. He first dismissed Sam Curran and then picked up two more wickets, Ayush Mhatre on 94 and Dewald Brevis for zero,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“Phil Salt wasn’t there. Jacob Bethell came and batted as incredibly. He scored runs at a strike rate of 170. Krunal Pandya was having a good day, but you took a gamble with Suyash Sharma because MS Dhoni had come. He bowled a six-run over. There was a no-ball in the end, but you won the match despite that. They are looking like a team that can go ahead and lift the trophy,” he added.
On the other hand, the renowned commentator said Jacob Bethell, who scored 55 runs off just 33 balls, didn’t let RCB feel the absence of his countryman, Phil Salt.
“Jacob Bethell, the way he started, he didn’t let them feel the absence of Phil Salt. He is a good batter, but he is not an opener. He bats down the order, but he was made to open, and he gets set there. Virat Kohli has hit a fourth consecutive half-century and is batting very fast,” he said in the same video.
Subsequently, Romario Shepherd smashed 53 runs off just 14 balls as he helped the hosts finish on a high.
“The wagon stopped in the middle. Here comes Romario Shepherd. He did what he did against Anrich Nortje at the Wankhede while playing for Mumbai. He hit Khaleel Ahmed for 33 runs in an over. 54 runs were scored in the last two overs. Romario Shepherd’s storm suddenly changed the game,” Chopra observed.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will next take on Lucknow Super Giants at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Saturday.
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