IPL 2021: Conditions Were Conducive For Harshal Patel In Chennai - Ashish Nehra Says RCB Needs To Change Their Death Bowling Tactics After Loss vs Punjab

Former India pacer Ashish Nehra feels that Harshal Patel is not effective anymore in the death overs and that the Royal Challengers Bangalore need to alter its bowling tactics on batting-friendly pitches.

Harshal Patel started the season with brilliant bowling performances – he picked 9 wickets in 3 games in Chennai at an unbelievable average of just 7.67.

However, since then he has leaked runs in the death heavily in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, including conceding 37 runs against CSK, and 22 against Punjab Kings in the last overs of the innings – RCB lost both matches as the momentum shifted towards the opposition.

His last 4 bowling figures read 3/47, 3/51, 2/37, and 0/53. Ashish Nehra opines that Patel’s bowling was effective for the slow and dull pitches in Chennai and that he doesn’t have other abilities which the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have to bowl well on batting-friendly surfaces.

“When a bowler bowls at the death, he will go for runs. Harshal Patel, while playing at Chennai was sensational, as the conditions were conducive. But he does not possess the ability of the likes of Bumrah or Shami. This is where RCB have keep changing their bowlers for death,” Ashish Nehra told Cricbuzz.

RCB need to look at Kyle Jamieson and Mohammad Siraj for that duty: Ashish Nehra

Though Patel still remains the purple cap holder currently, Ashish Nehra suggests RCB turn towards Kyle Jamieson, who generates extra bounce with his height, and Mohammed Siraj, who has been superb at both ends of the innings with the ball.

Ashish Nehra, a former bowling coach at RCB, also pointed out that though Patel is their designated death bowler, however, Virat Kohli failed to utilize Siraj and Jamieson against Punjab as both pacers bowled 3 overs each.

“When in a score of 170-180, a bowler is giving away 53 runs in his quota of overs, that too twice, then there is something wrong. RCB need to look at someone like a Kyle Jamieson and Mohammad Siraj for that duty. In the match against PBKS, both of them just bowled three overs each. This is where Virat Kohli has some thinking to do,” the former seamer asserted.

Despite the loss on Friday, RCB remains in the top 4 with 10 points; they will next face the Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday.

Also Read: We Neither Go Overboard When We Win, Nor Over Analyze A Loss: Royal Challengers Bangalore Hilariously Troll Punjab Kings On Twitter