Irfan Pathan believes that Virat Kohli should open for RCB in the playoffs of IPL 2020. Thus far the RCB skipper has been more than happy to bat as an anchor for Royal Challengers Bangalore at the number 3 spot. However, in the last 4 matches, RCB has lacked depth in the middle order as they have been opting to play all-rounders.
The likes of Gurkeerat Singh, Shivam Dubey and Washington Sundar have been trusted to bat in the middle order. Unfortunately for RCB, they have been inconsistent with the willow in hand and RCB have posted below-par totals.
Virat Kohli Should Open For RCB- Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan thinks that if Kohli can open the innings it will then allow RCB to play a specialist batsman in the middle order who can accelerate from the outset. Pathan further added that RCB is over-reliant on Kohli to bat at different gears as RCB lack a batsman who can run the match in the middle order.
“Virat Kohli should open if they play an additional batsman. If you are playing all-rounders from No.5 to No.7, it means you are reducing your batting”, Irfan Pathan said on Star Sports.
“You need a batsman in the middle who runs the game. If Virat Kohli comes up and gets out, there is no one in the middle to run the game”, he added.
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Meanwhile, RCB management can certainly go that route and open with Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal. Overall batting numbers of Kohli also suggest that he is at his best when he opens the batting in IPL. If Kohli bats at the top RCB can afford to play somebody like a Moeen Ali who can be aggressive in the middle order.
It will also release some burden from Ab de Villiers who has often been in the thick of things during the end overs. RCB have qualified for the IPL 2020 playoffs and will now face either KKR or SRH in the eliminator 1.
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