‘He is confused now’: Sunil Gavaskar identifies the ‘perfect finisher’ for RCB in IPL 2021

IPL 2020: Despite four consecutive losses, they managed to enter the playoffs. But another defeat turned out to be the last nail in the coffin. The fifth loss came in the eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, knocking Kohli & Co out of the league.

At the beginning of the Indian Premier League 2020, Royal Challengers Bangalore were considered as one of the strongest contenders of the title. However, the scenario changed drastically towards the business end of the tournament.

Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar during a felicitation ceremony for his contribution to cricket, in Kolkata.(PTI)

Despite four consecutive losses, they managed to enter the playoffs. But another defeat turned out to be the last nail in the coffin. The fifth loss came in the eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, knocking Kohli & Co out of the league.

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As the next IPL season is only a few months away, the RCB would be analysing the roles of its players freshly. Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar believes that RCB must find a player who can play the role of the finisher and suggested that Shivam Dube can fit into that role.

“I think where they need to do a little bit of thinking is to give Shivam Dube a proper role. Dube has gone down and Sundar has gone up and down. If he can be given a role and told to go out there and thrash the ball, it might help him. He is confused now. If they can get a solid player at No. 5, then it will ease the pressure of de Villiers and Virat,” remarked Gavaskar on Star Sports.

While several theories came explaining RCB’s ouster, Gavaskar reckons that Kohli couldn’t match high standards he has set with the bat. Kohli made a little over 450 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 121.35 and his team often struggled to get going in the middle-overs.

“Looking at the high standards that he sets for himself, maybe he would say he didn’t quite match that and that’s one of the reasons why RCB weren’t able to go through. Because when he scores those big runs along with AB de Villiers, they invariably have big scores,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

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The batting legend also pointed out that the RCB’s bowling lacked enough firepower to consistently challenge the opposition and prevail.

“If anything, their bowling has always been their weak point. Even now, in this particular team, they have got an Aaron Finch, who is a fine T20 player, young Devdutt Padikkal, who began well and then Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, then you have really got it made,” he added.