3 Unpopular decisions Virat Kohli should take to win IPL 2020 for RCB

Winning a multi-team tournament is not an easy task for any team. But, things start to get questioned when a star-studded line-up, with some of the best talents from across the globe, are not able to win. And, this has been the case with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) since the first season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Every year, they have a great set of players, but they, at some stage of the tournament, are not able to pull off important matches and this stops them from winning the cup. And, this has mounted to a great amount of pressure on the captain of the team Virat Kohli.

Virat is a kind of individual who likes to give his 100 per cent in every game and make sure that they win the match every time. But, things haven’t been working out for him too in the captaincy department. And, as far as his personality is known, he would be craving to win the trophy this time. But, for this to happen, he will have to take certain decisions, which might not please the fans, but can certainly prove beneficial for the team.

So, here’s a look at three of such unpopular decisions, which Virat Kohli should take to win the IPL:

1. Step down as an opener

Virat Kohli, for many years now, has been enjoying success, while batting at number 3 spot in the batting line-up of the Indian team. But for some reason, he has chosen to bat as the opener for his IPL team. However, this season he might have to vacate that position if he wants the best results for his team.

The numbers for him while with the Indian team prove the fact that he is a good number three player. While batting at the spot, he has played 52 innings scoring over 2000 runs at an average of 58.94 runs. Even in the Indian Premier League, he played 73 innings at this position and got his share of success, scoring 2255 runs, hitting 17 half-centuries in the process.

In IPL, he has done a tad better at the opening spot, but he will have to step down if he wants to get the best results for his team and win them their first IPL title. If he does so, he has Aaron Finch in his squad, who can open the batting with Parthiv Patel, who are a pair decent enough to get the team off to a decent start. And, Kohli can come in and capitalise on that, leading his team to mammoth totals and display his batting skills in the best of its form.

2. Play Shivam Dube ahead of Chris Morris

Chris Morris has a reputation for being a proven match-winner in the shortest format of the sport and has the history of winning some of the tightest games for his team when it comes to the IPL. But, the entrant of the homegrown talent, Shivam Dube, poses a threat to his position in the team. And, the captain of the team that they will be playing for in IPL 2020, Virat Kohli, will in all probabilities have to replace Morris with Dube.

It is no hidden fact that Morris’s age has caught up on him big time. The man who used to clock over 140 kmph regularly and then hit the ball into the stands, hasn’t been able to do the same in recent times. Morris in the last IPL season, was able to get 13 wickets in the 33 overs he bowled with an economy of over 9 runs an over and with the bat, he got 6 innings, in which he was able to gather 32 runs, with the highest score being 17 runs.

On the other hand, his Indian competitor, Shivam Dube, has already become one of the favourites of Kohli in the Indian team. He has proven his abilities both with the bat and the ball, that too in crunch situations, making his case even stronger. Also, him being an Indian player, would open up another slot for an overseas player, that could be utilised in many other ways.

3. Pick Isuru Udana over Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn is another old warhorse in the RCB squad, whom Virat Kohli will have to replace with a younger cricketer, in order to get an edge over his opponents in the crucial moments of the league. This is where the RCB line up has been struggling to perform in the last few years, costing them tournament victory. And, the name of the player, who will have to act as ‘Steyn-gun’s’ replacement, will be, Isuru Udana from Sri Lanka.

Udana has emerged as the new pace bowling sensation from Sri Lanka. Though he has not played in the IPL so far, his numbers for his national side, coupled with the dipping sharpness in Steyn’s bowling will in all probabilities earn him a place in the RCB squad this season. In 2019, Udana played 8 T20Is for the Lankans and picked up 23 wickets.

While Udana has been doing really well in the international circuit and puts a strong case for his inclusion in the team, Steyn hasn’t had a good time with the ball. After making a comeback to international cricket for South Africa in T20Is, he has bowled only 19 overs in total and has picked up 6 wickets in them. All of this makes Udana a better choice than Steyn, and Virat Kohli will have to make the tough call during the IPL.