Veteran Anil Kumbal considered Rajasthan Royals’ Jose Butler and Kolkata Knight Riders not considering the decision to maintain inappropriate use of Andre Russell, who have contributed significantly to the struggles of former IPL winners. After playing eight matches in each so far, defending champion KKR has lost five while Royals have lost six. In a select media interaction on Wednesday, Gystar expert Kumble said, “Jose Butler is the one who was a prominent player for Rajasthan Royals for some time. He was important in harming the opposition.”
“So I was a little surprised that RR did not maintain him. I felt that both the games that they had lost (the last two against DC and LSG), they had this hand, which they should not have lost.
Kumbal said, “Sanju Samson (for an injury) is a big thing. He is a prominent player for Rajasthan Royals,” referring to RR captain, who missed the previous game and will not play against RCB due to a abdominal injury.
Talking about KKR, Kumble felt that Russell should elevate the order. “I felt that KKR had not actually used its resources. If you look at the previous year’s campaign, it was mostly around the beginning that they used to meet Phil Salt and Sunil Narin. “I felt that the use of Andre Russell is not really great from KKR’s point of view. Russell should bat high. He definitely had a bowl line-up (Excel and just need to bat better),” said the former India captain.
“It was just a matter of time: Rohit Sharma
Kumble was never worried about Rohit’s lack of runs with the bat and veteran Mumbai Indians Batter finally came well against CSK.
Kumbal said, “It was just a matter of time and I think the previous innings he played against CSK, you can understand that the ball is right, although he is in a hurry in the powerplay. He wants to take the bowlers.”
“His body language was not really in a hurry (and) that I think this is the peace that you associate with Rohit when he is at the crease and when he is really good.
‘RCB has not adapted for situations at home’
This season, each RCB necklace has come to M Chinnaswamy Stadium, while he is unbeaten away from home. The Chinnaswamy wicket which is usually a batting paradise has played a slower on this season, not the home team’s batsmen’s style of playing.
“People think that when you are playing at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, it is going to be a flat track. You now need 250 with players with such effects and with such batting that these young batsmen are doing, you feel that whatever you score is not enough,” he said.
“So when you are batting first, it becomes a challenge. What is a good score? But again, you need to assess the situations. Maybe RCB may not really do well. I feel for RCB, especially when they are batting first Virat (Kohli), then all the batsmen become a very important player for them because they are a very important player around him.”
Finally, champion spinners are happy to see their tribe doing well in the IPL, especially young guns including Digvesh Rathi and Suyash Sharma.
He said, “I am actually impressed by some young spinners on performance. Those who have not really played first -class cricket, but are able to hold their grip,” he said.
“Suyash is one of them. Even when he first came to the scene for KKR, I think his continuity has improved that is not easy with the kind of action he has. He has bowled brilliantly for RCB.
“The speed with which he bowls does not give too much time for the batsmen to use what he needs in terms of killing him and I do not see a lot of batsmen choosing him.” Kumbal said, “Digwesh has not played first-class cricket. He came to the rank of local league and of course in the Delhi Premier League, he impressed there and then he is now a go-two bowler for Rishabh Pants (in LSG).”
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