Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) posted a score of more than 200 on the board in their first game against Punjab Kings in IPL 2022, but still ended up losing the game and it’s very likely now that they will be making a couple of changes in the playing XI for their next game against KKR.
Here are the two possible changes that RCB might make for the game against KKR –
Siddharth Kaul for Akash Deep
Although Akash Deep did well in his first game and got the precious wicket of Liam Livingstone, he proved to be way more expensive that the Royal Challengers Bangalore management would have liked him to be. With a more experienced bowler like Siddharth Kaul sitting on the bench, there is definitely the case of a change there.
Siddharth Kaul has plenty of experience of playing in the IPL before as he has played for Sunriseers Hyderabad (SRH) for a decent period of time. Not only can Siddharth swing the ball if given the new nut early, he has also got a few variations in his repertoire and he seems a better bet than Akash Deep at this stage.
Mahipal Lomror for Shahbaz Ahmed
RCB played Shahbaz Ahmed as a specialist left arm spinner, but they seemed to rely on their four quicks and their specialist leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga to bowl most of the overs. Although all of them proved to be expensive, the captain Faf du Plessis never turned to Shahbaz after giving him a solitary over.
If RCB doesn’t necessarily need a lot of overs out of Shahbaz, they might be better off playing Mahpal Lomror who can bowl a couple of overs of part time left arm spin, but he is a destructive batsman in the middle order. Mahipal, if he is in the playing XI, will add more to RCB’s batting depth than Shahbaz as he is a specialist batsman.
