Former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra has given his suggestions for Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the IPL 2022 retentions. Out of the four players, the teams can retain up to three Indians and an overseas player, or two Indians and two overseas players. The teams can retain two uncapped players before the mega-auctions. The deadline for submission of the retention list is November 30.
Analysing the players for RCB, Aakash Chopra said that Virat Kohli will be the first player to be retained by the franchise. Kohli stepped down from captaincy at the end of IPL 2021, but said that he will continue to be playing for the franchise as a player.
“Kohli’s retention is certain. But what about the other Indians – Yuzi Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Devdutt Padikkal – I mean there is a problem of plenty. Kohli has decided that he will not remain the captain but he will be the definite first retention.”
Chopra further said that Glenn Maxwell should be retained by RCB after the retirement of AB De Villiers. Maxwell scored 521 runs for RCB in IPL 2021 finishing as the top-scorer for the franchise.
Aakash Chopra Wants RCB TO Retain Glenn Maxwell
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“AB could have been the second retention. But now that he is not there, I don’t see any other overseas player whom you will want to retain except of course Glenn Maxwell. He is an expensive player and you will get him expensive even if you pick him from the auction. The good thing is that he has been seen playing well with this team.”
Mohammed Siraj and Yuzvendra Chahal are Aakash Chopra’s final two options for retention after Kohli and Maxwell. The former Indian batsman has let go off Harshal Patel in the process, who won the Purple Cap in IPL 2021.
“What about the third? In my opinion, it should be Yuzi Chahal. You will speak to him and ask him to please stay as the third retention but that’s now going to get tricky because if Yuzi is third then whether it is Harshal or Siraj, they might want to be the third and not the fourth.”
“Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal are the three options in my mind for the fourth retention. I want to retain Devdutt Padikkal but won’t be able to do that. Siraj and Harshal – it is like a photo-finish. I am thinking about Mohammed Siraj because his career graph has been going up” concluded Chopra.
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