Former Indian spinner Murali Kartik reckons Royal Challengers Bengaluru can open the innings with Venkatesh Iyer and Virat Kohli as Jacob Bethell has failed to grab his chances at the top of the order. Phil Salt is currently recovering from a finger injury.
Meanwhile, Iyer scored an impressive knock of 73 runs in the last game against Punjab Kings and he can bat up the order with Virat Kohli.
Murali Kartik said on Cricbuzz, “It’s a tough one, isn’t it? Maybe get him (Venkatesh Iyer) to open the innings. He’s done that in the past. Jacob Bethell hasn’t got runs at all. So that frees up a spot for you. If Phil Salt is back, because when we were in Dharamshala, we got the news that he’s still not in India. So I don’t know what’s happening on that front. That is something which we need to find out.”
Kartik highlighted that RCB’s leg-spinner Suyash Sharma does decently when he gets off to a good start but he gets under the pump if he starts poorly.
“But I still have a question mark over Suyash Sharma because when things are fine, Suyash Sharma is fine. But when he has to bowl on his own, there are times where he leaks a few runs. So is that something which opposition will target? I feel there are times where he leaks a few runs. If he’s started well, then it’s fine. If he’s started badly, then he doesn’t come back strongly.”
On the other hand, Kartik reckons Harsh Dubey can come into the playing XI for Sunrisers Hyderabad if the pitch offers help in place of Praful Hinge.
“I think so. It’s worked well for them unless and until there’s some turn. Maybe he (Harsh Dubey) comes in. He’s just received an India call-up for the Test matches. It could be that Sakib, Pat Cummins, Eshan Malinga are the three seamers and you’ve got Shivang Kumar and Harsh Dubey because Nitish Kumar Reddy is also giving them lots of options with the seam. Not pick Praful Hinge.”
SRH and RCB will take on each other at Hyderabad on Friday.
