IPL 2020: RCB Should Get A Solid Player At Number 5 To Ease Things For AB de Villiers And Virat Kohli - Sunil Gavaskar

Former India captain, Sunil Gavaskar feels that Royal Challengers Bangalore lacked firepower in the lower middle-order as they were knocked out of the tournament on Friday. He also opined that skipper, Virat Kohli hasn’t delivered by his standards in IPL 2020.

RCB, on Friday in Abu Dhabi, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad in a last-over thriller. Chasing a modest total of 133, the game was titled in balance when SRH was 67/4 in 11.5. Kane Williamson and Jason Holder built a partnership and held their nerves to take their team past the finish line.

Earlier, RCB once again had to be rescued by AB de Villiers. On the back of AB’s 56 of 43, RCB posted 131 in 20 overs. Kohli made a wholesale of changes in the line-up and promoted himself to open the innings as Aaron Finch was slotted at number three. The move didn’t work as Kohli was dismissed for 6 and Finch scrapped to a 30-ball-32.

Kohli didn’t quite match his high standards: Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar while talking to the broadcaster, said that Kohli didn’t quite have a season as expected of him. While the right-hander may have scored 466 runs, his strike rate of 121 throughout the season was concerning. The former opener felt that De Villiers lacked the support from other end, as Kohli didn’t get the big scores this season.

Gavaskar observed that this season their bowling performed better than the previous years, however, the batting was a letdown. He said that with players like Finch, Padikkal, Kohli, and De Villiers, RCB should have done better with the bat.

Talking to Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar said, “Looking at the high standards that he sets for himself, maybe he would say he didn’t quite match that and that’s one of the reasons why RCB weren’t able to go through. Because when he scores those big runs along with AB de Villiers, they invariably have big scores.”

“If anything, their bowling has always been their weak point. Even now, in this particular team, they have got an Aaron Finch, who is a fine T20 player, young Devdutt Padikkal, who began well and then Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, then you have really got it made,” he added.

The 71-year-old said that the lower-order batters, Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar seemed confused about their role as their batting positions were not constant.

The cricketer-turned-commentator recommends that RCB should get a solid player at number 5, to release the pressure from Kohli and AB. Moeen Ali was drafted in the eleven; however, the left-hander got run-out on a free hit on his first ball.

“I think where they need to do a little bit of thinking is give Shivam Dube a proper role. Dube has gone down and Sundar has gone up and down. If he can be given a role, and told to go out there and thrash the ball, it might help him. He is confused now.

“If they can get a solid player at No. 5, then it will ease the pressure of de Villiers and Virat,” Sunil Gavaskar said.

RCB qualified for the playoff for the first time since 2016 where they lost to SRH in the final. This year again they were knocked out by the David Warner-led side. Hyderabad will meet Delhi on Sunday in Qualifier 2 in Abu Dhabi.

Also Read: Virat Kohli Posts Emotional Message On Twitter After RCB’s Exit From IPL 2020