Watch: Mayank Dagar receives RCB debut cap from 'idol' Virat Kohli in IPL 2024

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) debutant Mayank Dagar received his maiden cap from his idol, Virat Kohli, ahead of the IPL 2024 opener. Mayank Dagar shared the video clip of him receiving the cap from Virat Kohli on his official social media on Saturday, March 23.

Mayank Dagar was traded from SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) ahead of last year’s mini-auction. Dagar represented the Hyderabad franchise in the three matches. The player took just one wicket at a disappointing average of 83.00 and a decent economy rate of 7.55.

The left-arm spinner made his debut for RCB against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday, March 22. He made a significant impact with the ball, conceding six runs in his two overs without giving away a single boundary.

Watch – Mayank Dagar Receives Cap From Virat Kohli

Mayank Dagar took to his Instagram to share a video of him receiving the RCB cap from Virat Kohli, who offered words of encouragement. The gesture exemplified Kohli’s support for young players, making it a significant moment for Dagar in his cricketing career.

“This moment will always be special for me🫶🏼♥️ getting my debut cap 163 from my idol 🫡 looking forward to win matches for my team in this season,” Dagar wrote the caption.

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“I know how badly you wanted to play for this team. Have a lot of fun. It is a great place to play your cricket. You will see the passion of the fans if you put your hundred percent in. All the best,” Virat Kohli said in the video.

Despite the challenging conditions in Chennai, where even seasoned spinners like Ravindra Jadeja found it difficult to extract turn, the RCB bowler managed to trouble opposition batters known for their prowess against spin, such as Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell.

Surprisingly, RCB opted to delay his introduction, instead using Glenn Maxwell, who conceded seven runs in his sole over, including a six by Jadeja.

RCB’s decision to give only two overs to Dagar proved costly as CSK secured a six-wicket victory. RCB’s tactic of using pacers and short balls faltered, allowing Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja to stabilize and secure the win with eight balls remaining in the first match.

Mayank Dagar had bowled 2 overs – Sunil Gavaskar

Faf du Plessis’ strategy of relying solely on pacers and neglecting Dagar’s spin option surprised experts, with Sunil Gavaskar criticizing the decision. Gavaskar highlighted the drawbacks of the one-dimensional tactic, particularly the inefficiency of short-pitched deliveries.

“You had somebody like a Dagar, who had bowled 2 overs for 6 six runs. I know the way the left-hand spinner can be picked for 6, but you got to take a chance. All that they did, Joseph, Green, Siraj, everybody go in short. What was happening was that if you don’t get the bouncer right, you are going to give it a wide, which means you’re giving an extra run, you are going to bowl an extra delivery. So, your bouncer has to be very accurate, and it wasn’t. That one-dimensional tactic was really disappointing,” said Gavaskar to Star Sports.

The Bengaluru-based franchise will face the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their upcoming match at their home ground, M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru on Monday, March 25. The team aims to regain their winning momentum in front of their home crowd.

Also read: IPL 2024: RCB Trade Shahbaz Ahmed To SRH For Mayank Dagar: Reports