IPL 2021 Auction: ‘Royal Challengers Bangalore might eye Glenn Maxwell for the bid as there is pressure on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers’, opines Gautam Gambhir


IPL 2021 Auction: ‘Royal Challengers Bangalore might eye Glenn Maxwell for the bid as there is pressure on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers’, opines Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir (left) and AB de Villiers-Virat Kohli (right)

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has deliberated on probable trading of some big players who are already under the hot light ahead of the auctions. The auction is just a few are to get underway in Chennai and will kick off at 3 pm on Thursday.

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Recently, Gambir talked of Australia’s power-hitter Glenn Maxwell and orated that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) might eye this smasher for he is likely to take off the much-infused pressure on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.

Deep inside the former Indian player feels that Umesh Yadav’s release as a mistake on the franchisee part as it creates a dig in their bowling segment. With Umesh’s good form in 2019 and 2020, it is slightly unwise to release this ace-pacer.

RCB have released Umesh Yadav and Moeen Ali

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Umesh Yadav

See, one thing is very important. Having someone and having the same kind of season, like some of the players, who performed really well in 2019, 2020. Whether they will have the same kind of season in 2021, you will have to wait and watch. Plus, yes, they would need some quality players because they have let go of some quality players – Moeen Ali and Umesh Yadav for example,” Gambhir said on the Cricket Connected Show – Auction Special on Star Sports.

There are not many fast bowlers going around in the Indian circuit at the moment. You’ve got Navdeep Saini who is young, you’ve got someone like Mohammed Siraj, he can go hot and cold in T20 cricket, so probably releasing Umesh Yadav was the big surprise.

Maxwell has got an X-factor, feels Gambhir

Glenn Maxwell

Probably, they will look at someone like Glenn Maxwell because they need to take a lot of pressure out of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. Looking at the combination as well, Virat Kohli would look to open the batting, that’s what I think,” Gambhir added.

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I’m not sure, that is up to the management and Virat Kohli himself, whether he wants to, but yes, he’s more suited to open the batting. And he will open with Devdutt Padikkal and then, you have AB de Villiers. You want someone like an X-factor, like Maxwell, and at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where it’s flat and small, so he can have that impact. So, probably, they will look at someone like Maxwell.

Also read: IPL 2021 Auctions: Schedule, purse, remaining slots, list of players available and all you need to know before the big event