Kings XI Punjab are going to finish last in IPL 2020: Brad Hogg
Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg has opined that Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) will finish as the wooden spoon holders in IPL 2020. He also mentioned that the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) would be much better at the death in this year's IPL, even though there haven't been too many changes in the team.
Brad Hogg made these observations while responding to fan questions in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
The West Australian was asked if KXIP have a problem of plenty when it comes to the overseas players in their side for the upcoming IPL. He responded that the overseas contingent of the Punjab-based outfit comprises mainly of match-winners, barring Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Chris Jordan, who have specific roles to perform.
"For me their overseas player contingent is all match-winners apart from Rahman from Afghanistan and Jordan. Those two have specific roles in this particular team and are quality bowlers."
While naming Glenn Maxwell, Chris Gayle and James Neesham as some of the examples, Brad Hogg reckoned that these players tend to not deliver the goods on a consistent basis.
"But the other guys there like Maxwell, Gayle and Neesham, they just have the odd standout games, they are not very consistent with what you want from an overseas player."
Brad Hogg even suggested that Kings XI Punjab are likely to finish at the bottom of the points table in IPL 2020 because of the inconsistent performances of their overseas recruits.
"They are too much up and down. That's why Kings XI are going to finish last."
Brad Hogg on RCB having addressed their death bowling problems for IPL 2020
Brad Hogg was also asked if RCB have been able to solve their death bowling issues for this year's IPL. He responded that there have been no major changes in the franchise's death bowling resources with Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav likely to perform that role.
"Well there is no real difference to their bowling attack from last year. They are going to have Saini, Siraj and Umesh Yadav doing the job at the death."
The 49-year-old mentioned that the only discernible change has been in their coaching staff, with the previous coaches tending to shout instructions from the sidelines while their bowlers were bowling at the death.
"The only thing which has changed is the coaching staff. Last year they had coaches on the sidelines, yelling instructions when they were bowling at the death. That puts too much pressure on the players."
Brad Hogg signed off by stating that Adam Griffith, RCB's new bowling coach for IPL 2020, would be able to extract the best from their players and that they would be able to do a better job.
"Adam Griffith, the Australian bowling coach, is an astute coach and will have these three bowlers in the best frame of mind in this IPL and they will do the job. They will have a better year than last year."
Apart from the change in the coaching personnel, RCB dished out huge bucks to acquire Chris Morris during the auction for IPL 2020. They would be hoping that the South African all-rounder can address some of their death bowling issues.