IPL 2021: Sending Glenn Maxwell At No.4  Allowed Virat Kohli And AB de Villiers To Think Freely - Parthiv Patel

Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel lauds the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s tactic of deploying Glenn Maxwell at number, which brought success to the player himself and to the team as well in the first half of the IPL 2021 before the tournament got suspended owing to the covid-19 outbreak in four franchises.

Maxwell was slotted at number 4 this season, with Virat Kohli at the top and AB de Villiers at number 5. The Australian immediately impacted to help RCB to their first victory in the season opener against the Mumbai Indians with a knock of 39 off 28; he followed it up with 59 off 41, and 78 off 49 on the slow, turning, and difficult to bat on Chennai pitch.

Parthiv Patel opines that Maxwell freed up the pressure from the shoulders of Kohli and de Villiers, who normally carry the batting order, by taking on the spinners in the middle-overs.

“I thought he [Maxwell] was brilliant to start with in this tournament, especially on the wickets like Chennai. He does play spin well but those were very very difficult wickets to play spin,” Parthiv Patel lauds told Star Sports

“I thought his comeback was brilliant for RCB and that allowed Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers to think freely. Yes, they were getting the runs, there is no doubt about it but sometimes you need your mind to think freely that if we get out there is a Maxwell who can do the job for them,” he added.

Great to see that the amount of money which was paid give dividends: Parthiv Patel

With Maxwell, there were apprehensions among fans as to if the all-rounder would once again be a disappointment considering the price he has been paid. But the Aussie stepped up his IPL game this year. He scored 223 runs and smacked 10 sixes in 7 games, much better than his last season’s dismal display of 108 runs and no six for Punjab.

“Sending him [Maxwell] at No.4, which bisected AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli in the batting lineup, was brilliant. It was great to see that the amount of money which was paid to Glenn Maxwell, he has just started to give dividends for that,” the 36-year-old former keeper stated.

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