"Will definitely bring back Adam Zampa" - Yusuf Pathan on RR's playing XI for IPL 2023 clash vs KKR
Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan believes that Rajasthan Royals (RR) should consider playing Adam Zampa for their upcoming IPL 2023 contest against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on Thursday, May 11.
Pathan pointed out that the wicket in Kolkata will offer assistance to spin bowlers and adding Zampa to the playing XI will benefit Sanju Samson and Co.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo ahead of the KKR vs RR match, Yusuf Pathan said:
"I will definitely bring back Adam Zampa to Rajasthan's playing XI. They will also take the call because they think a lot about the pitch and the opposition. With the wicket in Kolkata likely to help spinners, Zampa will surely come back."
Adam Zampa has mainly warmed the benches due to the glaring presence of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. He has featured in just four matches for Rajasthan in IPL 2023. The leg-spinner has picked up five wickets at an economy rate of 9.78.
"He has created pressure from one end" - Yusuf Pathan on Sunil Narine's bowling exploits in IPL 2023
Yusuf Pathan further stated that KKR will rely on their three spinners to beat the Royals at Eden Gardens. He highlighted that the likes of Varun Chakravarthy and Suyash Sharma have emerged as wicket-taking options for the team this season.
Pathan emphasized that while senior spinner Sunil Narine has struggled to pick up wickets lately, he has bowled tidy spells, which have helped Chakravarthy and Sharma, adding:
"KKR have two wicket-taking spinners, and they have played a major role for them so far. Both Suyash Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy have picked up wickets. Sunil Narine has bagged just one wicket in the last eight games, but he has created pressure from one end, which has benefited the other two. The match will take place in Kolkata, where there is some help for spinners."
Notably, Varun Chakravarthy has been a consistent performer for Kolkata this year. The mystery spinner has bagged 17 wickets from 11 outings and has an impressive economy rate of 7.84 to his name.