IPL 2018: Parthiv Patel Defends Royal Challengers Bangalore's Top-Four Strategy

No matter how strong a squad they assemble, Royal Challengers Bangalore always end up getting criticised for one reason or another.

The ongoing season is not an exception either. Despite having the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock in their ranks, the Bangalore-based outfit is struggling to dominate the league.

As a result, Royal Challengers Bangalore are languishing at sixth position on the points table, having managed just two wins in six games. In the ongoing season, the team is facing the heat for packing its top-four with power-hitters.

Kohli, de Kock and de Villiers are batting at the top which has left the middle and lower-middle order bereft of batting might. The impact of it has already been witnessed this season as in few games; Royal Challengers Bangalore have failed to finish strongly despite being given solid starts by the formidable top-order.

However, wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel has defended the team’s decision. The veteran campaigner said the strategy allows the best players in the team to play a maximum number of balls.

“In T20s, the idea is to give your best player as many scoring opportunities as possible,” Patel told Sportstar.

“A lot of teams, in fact, have tried to follow RCB’s plan. Mumbai Indians, for instance, opened with Rohit Sharma. Sunrisers Hyderabad had Shikhar (Dhawan) and David Warner at the top followed by Kane Williamson,” he added.

Meanwhile, Patel is yet to play a game this season. However, it has not stopped him from helping his teammates off the pitch,

Also Read: IPL 2018: Match 24, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings – Statistical Highlights

“If I notice something in the wicket, then I have the liberty to give my inputs. I speak with the players, skipper or even Ashish Nehra, with whom I share a great rapport. Having played for so long, players want to know my views, and it works both ways,” he said.

Patel is featuring in the league since the inaugural season. In the last ten seasons, he has represented as many as six teams, and he has done reasonably well too.

He has scored over 2,000 runs over the last decade but has struggled to stick with one franchise.

Speaking about that, he said:

“People keep talking about that record (Patel has played for six teams in the IPL), but I’ve also won three titles during those stints. There’re only a select few with that distinction.”