Sunil Gavaskar Slams RCB’s ‘Crimnal’ Tactics In IPL 2021: Royal Challengers Bangalore ended the league stage in a stunning way, getting the better of top-of-the-table Delhi Capitals in a thrilling contest at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday. While the RCB has secured a comfortable passage into the Indian Premier League 2021 playoffs, however, not everyone is happy with the decision-making of the Virat-led side.
Talking about the Royal Challengers’ match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, which Virat Kohli’s men lost, former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Dale Steyn slammed the batting position in which former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers walked out to bat.
AB de Villiers, who is hailed as one of the finest batters in the shortest format of the game at present, walked out to bat at No.6 position for RCB against SRH, with the likes of Dan Christian, Srikar Bharat, and Glenn Maxwell batting ahead of him.
Disappointed with de Villiers’ batting position, two of the experts on the broadcaster’s panel for the match — Gavaskar and Steyn called it a ‘criminal act’. Speaking on Star Sports, Steyn said: “Personally, I just think that’s criminal,”
“If you look at this leg, not many of the death overs have gone for big runs. So expecting AB to go out there and create those kind of miracles is a tall ask. Especially when it hasn’t been happening a lot, the wickets haven’t been that helpful. He is one of the best in the world, let him bat. I know they have qualified but the man has to bat. He can’t be facing just 13 balls, that is just criminal.”
On the other hand, Sunil Gavaskar was skeptical of the team’s decision to send K Bharat and Christian ahead of de Villiers. As per Gavaskar, de Villiers shouldn’t bat below No. 5 at any cost. He said:
“Definitely. Not just because he will be contributing more but simply because he is so good to watch. Such a wonderful, innovative player, Mr. 360 we call him. You have Bharat batting at three or four? Come on. With the greatest respect, he is a promising young cricketer, this is his first time on the big stage. So far it has worked but like I said earlier on in the show as well, how can you have AB de Villiers batting at No.6. He has to bat at four or maximum five. Glenn Maxwell with the kind of form he is in, comes in at four, De Villiers at five,”
Meanwhile, RCB rectified their mistake in their next match against Delhi Capitals as de Villiers was promoted up the order at Number 4 position. Though de Villiers’ couldn’t do much damage he scored 26 runs from 26 balls before being dismissed by Axar Patel.
