IPL 2021: "RCB have had the most problems" - Aakash Chopra on players opting out
Aakash Chopra feels the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have suffered the most due to the withdrawal of players from the remainder of IPL 2021.
A plethora of players across franchises, barring the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings, have opted out of the rest of IPL 2021. This has necessitated the franchises to make wholesale changes to their IPL 2021 squads.
Speaking about these team changes in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted that RCB have lost half of their overseas contingent. He elaborated:
"RCB have had the most problems. So many of their players are not coming. Daniel Sams, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson, Finn Allen and Scott Kuggeleijn and their replacements are Tim David, Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga and George Garton, who we saw in the Hundred bowling left-arm pace."
However, the former India cricketer did acknowledge that none of the missing players were certain picks in RCB's playing XI. Aakash Chopra observed:
"They have made the changes, there will not be too many changes in the XI because not all who have left were playing. But an important core is not available."
RCB might not be too concerned because of the absence of these players. The updations in their IPL 2021 squad with the likes of Tim David and Wanindu Hasaranga bring all-round skills to the table, which will also address their middle-order batting woes.
Also, do check out for the IPL 2021 stats here.
"Punjab Kings is the other side who would have been troubled a lot" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra named the Punjab Kings as the other franchise which has been hit badly. He reasoned:
"Punjab Kings is the other side who would have been troubled a lot. Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith and Dawid Malan - you can say only three guys have left but they had paid 20-odd crores to buy Richardson and Meredith to solve their fast-bowling problems. They have taken Nathan Ellis, Adil Rashid and Aiden Markram."
While acknowledging that Adil Rashid is an excellent T20 bowler, the 43-year-old pointed out that he might not help their cause too much. Aakash Chopra explained:
"You are trying but Adil Rashid, as good a bowler he is, you already have Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin and we have seen there is not that much help for the spinners in the UAE, at least not in the month of September or the early part of October."
The Punjab Kings might consider giving the new ball to Adil Rashid. The leg-spinner has enjoyed decent success while bowling in the powerplay for England in the shortest format of the game.