‘Issues will persist all season long’ - Zaheer Khan points out flaw in RCB’s batting strategy following loss to CSK

The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 got off to a rocky start for the Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore. In the five matches that the team has played in the competition so far, they have won twice and lost three times. Despite their top order putting in excellent performances in the tournament, the rest of the batting lineup has failed to make an impact. 

Touching upon the same, former India pacer Zaheer Khan came forward to point out a major flaw in the side’s batting lineup. The 44-year-old opined that if Dinesh Karthik is unable to regain his form, the problems could persist throughout the tournament.

"The way Faf and Max batted, especially with Virat Kohli getting dismissed early, we understand the pressure they were under. In the middle order or to finish, if Dinesh Karthik cannot perform like the way he used to play previously, then these issues will persist all season long as the rest of them are inexperienced," Zaheer Khan told JioCinema.

His batting usually goes this way: Parthiv Patel on Devon Conway

In Chennai Super Kings’ recent game against Bangalore, Devon Conway was one of the best performers in the match. Batting first, the four-time champions posted a whopping 226 runs on the board, and Conway’s contribution (83 off 45) in the first innings was crucial for the visitors.

Former India cricketer Parthiv Patel came forward to heap praise on Conway’s performance, and said, "His batting usually goes this way, he takes some time to settle in at the start but after that, if he plays, he plays for a long time. You need a batter that can score 83 runs on 45 balls and someone who plays on one end for 14-15 overs and maintain the strike rate. We spoke about his lack of contribution on this front prior to the game but whenever he has contributed, he has put CSK in a winning position, which is why they persist with him."