RCB Playing XI vs MI in IPL 2021: Mohammed Azharuddeen’s dream of playing “fearless cricket” like his idol Virat Kohli is all set to get come true on April 9. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has lost Devdutt Padikkal for opening match against Mumbai Indians (MI) as he tested positive. Under the circumstances, Mohammed Azharuddeen can be asked to start RCB’s innings vs MI on April 9th.
“My idol is Virat Sir. I have been a great fan of him and he has been such an inspiration. Playing alongside him and sharing the dressing room will be a dream come true for me. But I have many dreams. My ultimate dream is to play for India one day like every cricketer. My immediate dream is to play fearless cricket in my maiden IPL outing. I never worry about getting out. This IPL season will be a watching and learning season for me. The season has been great for me and I want to carry the form,’ he had told Inside Sport in an exclusive chat after RCB bought him at IPL 2021 auction at base price of INR 20 lakh.
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RCB Playing XI vs MI in IPL 2021: Devdutt Padikkal’s loss can be Mohammed Azharuddeen’s gain
Devdutt Padikkal was the find of IPL 2020 for RCB. The left-handed batsman from Karnataka oozed class and confidence with every shot. He piled up whopping 473 runs in 15 games which included five 50s.
But now Padikkal will be isolating for next 10 days and will not be available for the first two games of IPL for RCB.
His place in RCB’s playing XI can go to Mohammed Azharuddeen or New Zealand’s wicketkeeper batsman Finn Allen.
Azharudeen, who has been playing for Kerala in the domestic season for the last six years, shot to the limelight after his blistering match-winning innings of 37 ball century against mighty Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament.
- The 27-year-old is known for his hard-hitting brand of cricket.
- He will also give Kohli an option to hand him the big gloves and use de Villiers’ exception fielding skills near the boundary.
- Azharuddeen’s quick-firing approach will give Kohli time to settle down and build innings from the other end.
“I was playing fearless and aggressive cricket middling the ball from the beginning and I want to carry the form and score heavily in IPL as and when I get a chance. I am quite hopeful that I will get a few matches to play. If you ask me which position, then I will say I want to play alongside Devdutt Padikkal as an opener as my game is more of taking the ‘Bull by the Horns’ form the very word go but I am ready to play in any position the team management thinks,“ he had said.
While it will be his debut in IPL, the Kerala batsman is known for his exploits in domestic cricket. He has played 24 domestic T20 matches and amassed 451 runs at a strike rate fo 142.27. In First-Class cricket he has 22 games to his name in which he piled up 959 runs with 50 half-centuries.
|
Mat |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
SR |
100s |
50s |
|
|
First-class |
22 |
959 |
112 |
25.91 |
63.76 |
1 |
5 |
|
List A |
30 |
585 |
73 |
25.43 |
97.17 |
0 |
5 |
|
T20s |
24 |
451 |
137* |
22.55 |
142.27 |
1 |
0 |
IPL 2021: Azharudeen can also have competition from Finn Allen
Notably, even though Padikkal is out of the scheme of things, RCB might try Finn Allen with Virat Kohli. But while, it is a possibility, it will be unlikely since Bangalore already have its four sure-shot overseas starters in AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Dan Christian and Kylie Jamieson.
IPL 2021: RCB playing XI vs MI (LIKELY)
Devdutt Padikkal/ Mhd Azharudeen, Virat Kohli (c), Rajat Patidar, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Dan Christian, Washington Sundar, Kylie Jamieson, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini
IPL 2021: ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (RCB) FULL SQUAD AND PLAYERS LIST –
Virat Kohli (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Finn Allen (wk), AB de Villiers (wk), Pavan Deshpande, Washington Sundar, Daniel Sams, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Kane Richardson, Harshal Patel, Glenn Maxwell, Sachin Baby, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Kyle Jamieson, Daniel Christian, Suyash Prabhudessai, K.S. Bharat
RCB Playing XI: Azharuddeen likely to open for RCB with his idol Virat Kohli vs Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021’s 1st game
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