"The hot attitude was outstanding" - Ravichandran Ashwin hypes RCB's Vyshak Vijayakumar ahead of IPL 2024
Ravichandran Ashwin believes that right-arm pacer Vyshak Vijaykumar could prove to be a pivotal cog in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lineup for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024).
The veteran Team India spinner pointed out how Vijaykumar has been impressive in domestic cricket and the Karnataka Premier League in the recent past.
Backing the youngster to do well in IPL 2024, Ashwin said on his YouTube channel:
"I’m very interested in Vyshak Vijayakumar. Recently, I went to watch the Ranji Trophy match between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The wicket was flat but had a had a good bounce, like the Chepauk red soil wicket. Vyshak Vijayakumar ran in all four days."
"The hot attitude was outstanding. I was also following KPL. His game for Gulbarga Mystics was extraordinary; he led from the front. So a person like Vyshak Vijayakumar, even though there is a bit of inexperience, (can be handy)." he added.
Vyshak Vijaykumar bagged three wickets while conceding just 20 runs from his four overs in his first-ever IPL match against the Delhi Capitals (DC) last year. He registered the best-ever figures by a debutant for RCB. He finished with nine wickets from seven games at an economy rate of 10.54.
"A great utility cricketer" - Ravichandran Ashwin on Tom Curran
RCB signed Tom Curran at his base price of ₹1.50 crore at the IPL 2024 mini-auction. Ravichandran Ashwin suggested that it was a smart buy, given the English speedster's ability to contribute with both bat and ball.
He pointed out how Curran's batting has improved significantly over the years, making him a great choice for the No. 8 spot in Bengaluru's batting lineup.
"Tom Curran is a great utility cricketer. Reece Topley can also bowl with a new ball. Tom Curran is also more of a lower-order batsman. I’ve seen Tom Curran in Delhi. He bowls well and has some variety, but he has also improved his batting a lot. You see, The Hundred Games and all, he finished games really well. He has a good power game. I would say he is a utility number 8 option," Ashwin remarked.
RCB will take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the opening match of IPL 2024 at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday, March 22.