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‘A genuine top-class batter': Glenn Maxwell bowled over by Royal Challengers Bangalore youngster Srikar Bharat
Reacting to Bharat's knock, Maxwell, who was RCB's top-scorer with an unbeaten 50 off 30 balls, said he is a genuine top-class batter.
Despite the presence of AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell in the Royal Challengers Bangalore team, young wicketkeeper-batter Srikar Bharat has been trusted to bat at no.3 in the UAE leg of IPL 2021. The talented right-hander, who has been on the fringes of the Indian side, finally lived up to the faith shown on him by scoring a fluent 44 off 35 balls against Rajasthan Royals in Dubai.
Bharat's knock ensured there were no jitters in the RCB line-up despite losing openers Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli in a quick succession in the 150-run chase on Wednesday.
Reacting to Bharat's knock, Maxwell, who was RCB's top-scorer with an unbeaten 50 off 30 balls, said he is a genuine top-class batter.
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"It is nice to have a bunch of guys doing different things and not relying on one guy. Everyone is chipping in and it has been a really enjoyable group so far. I wouldn't call it an experiment, he's (Bharat) a genuine top-class batter and the way he has gone about his innings is outstanding," Maxwell told host broadcaster Star Sports after the game ended.
Maxwell and Bharat put together a 69-run stand for the third-wicket that took RR out of the game.
"Whatever hard work you do on the backend always counts on the bigger platform like this. You tend to explore lots of cricket, domestic as well as franchise cricket, it all helps. It is a good feeling winning this game, I and Maxwell were just communicating in the centre and we did what the team required of us at that particular time," said Bharat during a virtual press conference.
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"Definitely, you play with Virat Kohli, Maxwell, and AB de Villiers, you tend to learn a lot of good things in terms of cricket and how to handle things out of cricket. Maxwell and I discussed what areas we can access, the boundary options and how many overs a certain bowler is going to bowl," he added.
Earlier, Harshal Patel's three-wicket haul helped RCB restrict Rajasthan Royals to 149/9 in the allotted twenty overs. For Sanju Samson's side, Evin Lewis top-scored with a knock of 58 runs from 37 balls. Yuzvendra Chahal was adjudged as Man of the Match for his two-wicket haul.
"Chahal is a very good bowler, he varies his pace exceptionally well. You have to be right in the game at every point, you cannot fade off even at the moment. I was trying to keep myself in the game as a wicketkeeper and you know, to read him from his hands. You have to be in the game, Chahal keeps the keeper interested always," said Bharat.
RCB will next square off against Punjab Kings on Sunday in the ongoing IPL.
