Royal Challengers Bangalore leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal believes the addition of Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell played a key role in solving the team’s problems last year’s problems.
axwell was given the onus to bat at number four and he was able to grab his opportunity with both hands.
The right-hander scored 223 runs in six innings at an average of 37.16 and a strike rate of 144.80. Thus, Maxwell was able to take the pressure off the shoulders of RCB skipper Virat Kohli and talisman batsman AB de Villiers.
On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj and Harshal Patel were able to put paid to RCB’s death bowling woes. Siraj was right on the money in the fag end of the innings whereas Patel scalped 17 wickets in seven matches and he was the Purple cap holder before the tournament was called off by the Indian board.
“The addition of Glenn Maxwell solved last year’s problems. This time around there is less pressure on Virat bhaiya and AB de Villiers that simplified things for us. Devdutt Padikkal also batted really well last season and continued his form in IPL 2021,” Chahal said in an interaction with India TV cricket.
“The medium pacers, especially Mohammed Siraj, also deserve a special mention. He has continued the good form since the Australian tour and that has helped us massively. He deserves more wickets than he has actually picked. Harshal Patel, who has picked 17 wickets from seven matches, also made a huge difference,” Chahal added.
Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bangalore won five out of the seven matches they played and Chahal feels it will take the pressure off the team when the IPL resumes as they look all set to qualify for the playoff stages.
“We’re in the top four in the first half of the tournament. Each team is equal in terms of points so it is a good thing that we don’t have to start from the bottom when the tournament resumes,” Chahal said.
“Unlike other seasons where we need five or six wins from last seven games, we will enter the second half with a lighter mood and accordingly plan things,” he added.
