"That is one thing that can trouble this team slightly" - Aakash Chopra says RCB will have to strengthen their bowling at Chinnaswamy
Aakash Chopra feels the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will need to beef up their bowling in IPL 2023 as it could prove to be their stumbling block when they play at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The Bangalore-based franchise already had a decent bowling combination heading into the mini-auction in Kochi on Friday, December 23. They added Reece Topley, who has enjoyed great success for England this year, to the mix.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that the lack of a genuine sixth bowling option in the playing XI could prove to be RCB's Achilles heel in IPL 2023, elaborating:
"You need six bowling options. That is one thing that can trouble this team slightly. They might play Mahipal Lomror because of that or expect bowling from Glenn Maxwell. The Chinnaswamy ground is absolutely unforgiving. It takes the life of good bowlers, so it won't allow part-timers to even pitch the ball."
The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player highlighted that RCB's bowling has not been tested enough in the last few seasons of the IPL, explaining:
"They have regularly qualified for the playoffs for the last few years but an important aspect in that is they were not playing at home but away, whether it was Abu Dhabi and Dubai, or grounds in Maharashtra. They did well there, the bowling was never put under so much pressure."
The Royal Challengers Bangalore qualified for the playoffs in the last three editions of the IPL. However, they did not play a single game on the batting-friendly Chinnaswamy track across those three years.
"I don't think David Willey will work at the Chinnaswamy" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's bowling options
Chopra feels RCB will have to field Topley ahead of David Willey in their playing XI at home if Josh Hazlewood is unavailable, reasoning:
"Josh Hazlewood is not available for the first few games. I don't think David Willey will work at the Chinnaswamy ground. So if Josh Hazlewood is not there, you will see Reece Topley playing, and Mohammed Siraj and Harshal Patel will make it your three fast bowlers."
Bowl upfrontTop lad Topley!
✅ Bowl upfront
✅ Bowl at the death
✅ Handy with the bat
✅ Enroute Bengaluru
#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2023 https://t.co/diFgxSn55T
The reputed commentator added that Shahbaz Ahmed and Wanindu Hasaranga cannot be entirely relied upon at the Chinnaswamy, observing:
"After that, you have Wanindu Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmed but you will have to play one more bowler because you are not sure whether Shahbaz can bowl all his overs considering the ground. We have seen in the Lanka Premier League that even Wanindu concedes 50 in 4 if you go after him."
Hasaranga was RCB's highest wicket-taker in IPL 2022 with 26 scalps to his name. Shahbaz, on the other hand, picked up just four wickets in the tournament and conceded an average of 9.60 runs per over.