IPL 2019: Royal Challengers Bangalore probable playing XI against Kolkata Knight Riders
It's getting uglier for the Royal Challengers Bangalore by the day. After four consecutive losses in their first four games of IPL 2019, the RCB side is staring down the barrel and needs a desperate change in fortunes.
As for the change in the team line-up, the side could see some modifications in the XI that played against the Rajasthan Royals, as stated by captain Virat Kohli himself.
Here's a possible line-up for the RCB for their game against the KKR side at the Chinnaswamy.
Openers:
Parthiv Patel has been one of the lone bright sparks for the RCB's batting this season, playing according to the situation and respecting the bowlers and the situation. His half-century in the previous game was the reason the side got to a decent score.
Along with Parthiv's stability, a free-flowing batsman like Marcus Stoinis would be ideal, who would complement the batting style of the wicketkeeper.
Middle-order:
For RCB's sake, it is high time that one of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers play a match-winning innings and help the side rack up their first points. Both are destructive in their own right and are expected to utilise the Chinnaswamy conditions, that they are well-versed with, to good effect.
Shimron Hetmyer has been struggling to find his feet in IPL; he has all the talent in the world, but has not been able to manage it with temperament, and his first four scores are in single-digits. Perhaps, this is the time for him to show what he is made of.
Allrounders:
Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar both are domestic cricket's prolific performers; Sundar has shown in the past what he can do in IPL, he has been solid with the ball in the powerplay and is also a handy bat. As far as Dube is concerned, the talent is evident, but it has not translated into performance yet. Backing of the management could see him put forward his best.
Bowlers:
In the pace bowling department, the side would want to try Nathan Coulter-Nile, who has been in good nick with the white ball for Australia and is more than handy with the bat. This could mean that Moeen Ali goes out. Apart from that, Kohli will have to choose out of Umesh Yadav, Mohd Siraj and Navdeep Saini. Given that he needs experience at this crucial juncture, he might choose Umesh and the pace of Saini on the small Chinnaswamy ground.
Also, he would want to utilise the leg-spin of the experienced Yuzvendra Chahal, who knows the ground inside out.
Predicted Playing XI:
Parthiv Patel, Marcus Stoinis, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Shimron Hetmyer, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Washington Sundar, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini
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