IPL 2021: "RCB should bat Washington Sundar and Glenn Maxwell ahead of AB de Villiers" - Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan believes Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) should use their premier batsman AB de Villiers as a finisher, allowing Washington Sundar and Glenn Maxwell to bat in the top order.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Irfan Pathan reasoned that with AB de Villiers to come after him, Maxwell will have more leeway to play his natural brand of fearless cricket.
Pathan added that in the past few years, RCB has always seemed short of an Indian batsman in the top order and thinks Sundar can dovetail that gap seamlessly.
"AB de Villiers is such a player who can play in the top order, the middle order and also as a brilliant and consistent finisher. So for that reason, RCB should play Maxwell higher up the batting order and hope that he plays fearlessly like in the first game," said Irfan Pathan.
"I would like to add another point that Washington Sundar should play in the top order consistently. Even after Devdutt Padikkal returns, play him at No. 3. We have been seeing RCB for so long and they always seem an Indian batsman short. So if Washington Sundar even scores 20-25 runs consistently then the rest of the batting order is very dangerous and they'll get some firepower in the middle order," he added.
RCB made the perfect start to their IPL 2021 voyage by beating defending champions Mumbai Indians in the season opener. That game saw Sundar open, Maxwell come in at four and AB de Villiers at five.
The combination seemed to work as Maxwell laid the platform along with Virat Kohli and de Villiers uncorked a rearguard attack to clinch the game.
Maxwell batting in the middle-order forces the opposition to change plans: Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan further remarked Glenn Maxwell batting in the middle-order is 'very crucial' for RCB as it forces the opposition to rethink their strategy and bring their best bowlers earlier than usual in the innings.
"When a player of Maxwell's calibre bats in the middle-order, he won't take too much time. He is a busy contender and that puts the opposition under pressure to bring their main bowlers and their planning gets completely changed. So Maxwell playing at four is very crucial for RCB," said Irfan Pathan.
RCB will lock horns with the David Warner-led Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday in Chennai.