Akash Chopra dishes out a strong verdict on RCB’s squad strength for IPL 2023

RCB had a decent IPL auction as they roped in the likes of Will Jacks and Reece Topley alongside a few impressive youngsters who had already proven their mettle in the domestic circuit of India.

However, before they landed the hallowed Englishmen, they also expressed interests in Sam Curran, Mayank Agarwal and Ben Stokes but a restraint on their purses didn’t allow them to land the big fishes on the plate.

RCB bought the likes of Sonu Yadav (INR 20 lakh), Avinash Singh (INR 60 lakh), Rajan Kumar (INR 70 lakh), Manoj Bhandage (INR 20 lakh), Will Jacks (INR 3.2 crore), Himanshu Sharma (INR 20 lakh)and Reece Topley (INR 1.9 crore).

Former Indian opener, Akash Chopra pointed out RCB’s search for a middle-order batter and what was their exact mindset going into the auction. Chopra said, “They went searching for a middle-order batter and because of that, they went after Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Sam Curran, Cameron Green, Ben Stokes and Manish Pandey. They couldn’t take any of them because they had only 8.75 crores. You won’t even get their shadows with that much money.”

Talking on his official Youtube channel, Akash Chopra further added, “They are extremely expensive players, so how will you buy them? They had less money because the team is looking good. There was no need or scope for many changes. This team has openers in the form of Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Finn Allen and Anuj Rawat.”

He continued, “They have two middle-order batters in the form of Rajat Patidar and Suyash Prabhudessai and wicketkeepers in the form of Dinesh Karthik and Anuj Rawat. They have kept quite a few all-rounders – Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mahipal Lomror, Wanindu Hasaranga, Will Jacks, Manoj Bhandage and Sonu Yadav.”

He concluded by talking about how Maxi isn’t a decent fit for RCB’s middle order, adding, “If we talk about the XI – former captain Virat Kohli with Faf du Plessis, then Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik. When I say this, every time I feel that Maxwell is mercurial, and then Shahbaz Ahmed, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik – not the right kind of middle order.”