You might be surprised but RCB's bowling unit can lift IPL Trophy: Irfan Pathan

In exclusive interviews with Star Sports on the show ‘Game Plan’, former cricketers Matthew Hayden and Irfan Pathan shared their insights on the upcoming IPL 2024 season, focusing on RCB and CSK, as they face each other in the tournament opener on 22^nd March 2024. Hayden discussed Virat Kohli's leadership with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), highlighting the team's batting strength and the importance of their bowling unit in clinching their maiden IPL trophy. Meanwhile, Irfan Pathan analyzed RCB's chances, emphasizing the team's improved batting lineup and the potential impact of their express pace bowlers on flat pitches like Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan spoke on Virat Kohli’s chances to win his maiden IPL trophy with RCB this year, he said “Now that he's got a team, as far as the batting is concerned, I really feel the batting has got longer now, which wasn't the case some time ago. And at the same time, a lot of people are not giving RCB a chance because they think their bowling is not the same. I also think the bowling could have been better, but what they've done is they've got express pace on that pitch. If you can bowl 140+ consistently on pitches that are flat like Chinnaswamy's pitch, sometimes it might work. You might get surprised that this bowling unit can lift the trophy. For Virat Kohli, it will be a very special moment because he'll be wanting it since 2008 but he hasn't been able to touch that trophy.”

Matthew Hayden also spoke about RCB’s chances this IPL, he said “Virat, the way he operated in 2023, was second only behind his 16 seasons so it wasn't just runs, it was strike rate at the top. But when you question why always RCB are the perennial bridesmaids in this tournament is how they are going to defend at home. It doesn't matter if you get 300 runs when it comes to Chinnaswamy stadium, so it matters how to get people out in those conditions consistently.”