Trent Boult is not that good as a death bowler: Aakash Chopra

Before IPL 2024 starts, former cricketer Aakash Chopra thinks Rajasthan Royals might have a problem with their bowling at the end of matches. He said that he's worried if their bowlers can perform well in the important last overs of the game.

According to Chopra, the reliance on Trent Boult as the main overseas seamer raises red flags. Despite being the most successful seamer for the Royals in IPL 2024, Boult's forte lies in swinging the new ball, rather than delivering under pressure at the death. Chopra highlighted Boult's modest record in the death overs, emphasizing his belief that the Kiwi pacer may not be the ideal choice for such high-pressure situations.

Furthermore, Chopra pointed out the vulnerabilities in the Royals' seam-bowling trio comprising Boult, Nandre Burger, and Avesh Khan. He raised doubts about their ability to contain runs and pick up crucial wickets during the death overs, which could pose a significant challenge for the team.

“Their death bowling is not that strong. Trent Boult is not that good as a death bowler. Nandre Burger, if he plays, also concedes a lot of runs. They traded in Avesh Khan for Devdutt Padikkal, but Avesh is also very expensive,” Chopra said in his YouTube video.

“They used Yuzi (Yuzvendra) Chahal a lot as a death bowler, but is he your best available option to be used? So, I feel the death bowling is slightly weak. This team's spin attack is good, but the death bowling looks slightly worrying,” Chopra added.

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Chopra also underscored the absence of a genuine all-rounder in the Royals' squad as another area of concern. He noted that the team's overreliance on a five-bowler strategy limited their flexibility in previous seasons, with the batting line-up often faltering beyond the sixth position.

“They don't have an all-rounder. If someone couldn't use the Impact Player last year, it was this team. Despite having the Impact Player, they used to play only five bowlers and their batting used to end at No. 6,” he added.

That is a potential weakness for sure, which the opposing teams will look to exploit: Chopra

With the Impact Player rule in place, Chopra believes the Royals will need to rely on players like Rovman Powell and Riyan Parag to contribute with both bat and ball. However, the ex-India opener cautioned that the lack of a top-class all-rounder could expose the team to exploitation by opposing franchises, who are likely to target this weakness.

“You were thinking how were they able to do that?. Why were they not using the option of playing an extra player? It was because they weren't getting a player, neither an Indian nor overseas, who could do two jobs. So that is a potential weakness for sure, which the opposing teams will look to exploit,” Chopra stated.

As the Royals gear up for IPL 2024, addressing these concerns around their death bowling and the absence of a quality all-rounder will be crucial for their success in the tournament.

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