IPL 2021: Aakash Chopra picks his Royal Challengers Bangalore's starting XI

Aakash Chopra, the former Indian cricketer, has picked the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) probable playing eleven going into the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL). As the openers, he picked Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal. Even as Kohli, earlier, confirmed his role as an opener, Padikkal may not play the first couple of games after being tested positive for COVID-19.

For the number three slot, he went for Madhya Pradesh’s Rajat Patidar, who has six fifties from 22 T20 matches. In the middle-order, he went for AB de Villiers and RCB’s new recruit Glenn Maxwell. As the specialist all-rounder, Chopra went for Daniel Christian, who was a part of the 2020-21 champions Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL).

RCB will have to play Dan Christian out of compulsion: Aakash Chopra

“Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli along with him, Patidar at No.3, AB de Villiers at No.4, then Glenn Maxwell at No.5, and Dan Christian at No.6,” Chopra told on his YouTube channel.

“Patidar is a good player but he is new. Maxwell is already very late at No.5. You want to push him up the order but if you try to do that, Patidar will be the casualty. He will be of no use if he comes down the order. You have taken Azharuddeen but he is an opener and will not be able to bat down the order. They will have to play Dan Christian out of compulsion,” he stated.

As the all-rounder, Chopra went for Washington Sundar, who bowled exceptionally for the Challengers last season, especially in the powerplay. New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson also featured in Chopra’s eleven after being bought for a whopping INR 15 crore in the auction. Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini are the other fast bowlers with Yuzvendra Chahal as the specialist spinner.

“At No.7 you have got Washington Sundar, at No.8 you have got Kyle Jamieson, at No.9 you have got Chahal and then two fast bowlers – Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini. Jamieson, Dan Christian, Maxwell, and AB will make the four overseas players,” Chopra added.

RCB’s first game is against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the tournament opener on Friday, April 9 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Here’s the eleven:

Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Christian, Washington Sundar, Kyle Jamieson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini