At the start of the 2020 Indian Premier League, Royal Challengers Bangalore was regarded as one of the strongest contenders for the title. However, the scene changed drastically towards the commercial end of the tournament.
Despite four consecutive losses, they made it to the playoffs. But another defeat turned out to be the last nail in the coffin. The fifth loss came in the tie against Sunrisers Hyderabad, knocking Kohli & Co out of the league.
READ | ‘Giving it away to one of the strongest teams is extraordinary’, Tom Moody is unhappy with DC’s decision to trade Trent Boult to MI
As the next IPL season is only a few months away, the RCB would be looking at the roles of its players recently. Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar believes that RCB must find a player who can play the role of spiker and suggested that Shivam Dube can fit into that role.
“I think where you need to think a bit is to give Shivam Dube a suitable role. Dube has gone down and Sundar has gone up and down. If he can be given a role and told to come out and hit the ball, it might help. Now he is confused. If they can get a solid player at No. 5, they will take the pressure off De Villiers and Virat, ”Gavaskar commented on Star Sports.
While various theories emerged explaining RCB’s expulsion, Gavaskar acknowledges that Kohli failed to match the high standards he has set with the bat. Kohli had just over 450 runs in 15 games with a strike rate of 121.35 and his team often struggled to get going in the intermissions.
“Looking at the high standards that he sets for himself, maybe I’d say he didn’t meet that and that’s one of the reasons RCB couldn’t pass. Because when he scores those great runs alongside AB de Villiers, they invariably have great scores, ”Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
READ| ‘It happened in 2002’: Sachin Tendulkar reveals how he discovered his legendary shot that ‘disturbed several fast players’
The batting legend also pointed out that RCB bowling lacked sufficient firepower to constantly challenge opposition and prevail.
In any case, his bowling alley has always been his weak point. Even now on this particular team they have Aaron Finch, who is a good T20 player, young Devdutt Padikkal, who started well and then Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, so you really did it, ”he added.
.
