Rajasthan Royals has to deploy Jofra Archer their best pace bowler and a couple of leggies in tandem to hold Chris Gayle according to Aakash Chopra, and the former cricketer turned commentator. Chris Gayle is yet to fire in IPL 2020, but his inclusion has seen KXIP winning their last 5 matches as his addition uplifted the team’s spirits.
Chris Gayle has played 5 matches scoring 177 runs in 128 balls faced averaging 35.4 with 2 fifties. In contrast, overall, he averages 40.89 with 6 centuries-the most by any batsman in IPL and includes 341 sixes which is the most by any player in IPL history.
Rajasthan Royals Have To Figure Out A Game Plan To Stop Chris Gayle – Aakash Chopra
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has said Rajasthan Royals have to deploy pacer Jofra Archer if they want to counter the threat of Kings XI Punjab’s explosive West Indian batsman Chris Gayle.
Aakash Chopra suggested that since Jofra Archer has a number of tricks up his sleeve, he might want to hurt the reputation of big-hitter Chris Gayle who will look for a six-hitting spree by varying his pace and bowling yorkers and bouncers successfully.
“They will have to figure out a game plan to stop Gayle and say, and not just one, they might need a couple of them because when he gets going, of course, he’s a tornado, who just blows away the opposition.
“So, I would say you do have Jofra Archer and he’s got pace, bowl bouncers, bowl yorkers, just bowl those wicket-taking balls to Christopher Henry Gayle and play with his ego a little bit – just ask those tough questions, make him get out of his comfort zone and that’s your game plan number one, that’s what Jofra Archer should do,” Aakash Chopra said speaking exclusively on Star Sports’ show ‘Game Plan.’
Rajasthan Royals have pacers Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Aaron and Ankit Rajpoot but they have leaked runs and have mostly been inconsistent. Kartik Tyagi may play, and the likes of Andrew Tye or Oshane Thomas may be added to the squad as an additional pace option to go alongside Jofra Archer.
Jaydev Unadkat has an average of 57 and an economy rate of almost 10 per over. Varun Aaron has gone wicketless and leaked runs at 12.5 in the only match he played. Ankit Rajpoot played 6 matches and picked 2 wickets averaging 99.5 and at an economy rate of 11.71.
Rajasthan Royals Should Bowl With Jofra Archer And One Leg Spinner- Aakash Chopra
Mayank Markande, Shreyas Gopal and Rahul Tewatia are the spinners, and all of them may be given a chance to play. In 12 matches, Shreyas Gopal has 9 wickets averaging over 40 and given runs at 8.11 per over. Rahul Tewatia has 7 wickets averaging 39.86 and has an economy rate of 7.15, which is great since he also has 224 runs averaging 44.8 to his name.
“But you don’t really have another fast-bowler of the same repute or pace, so I would say Jofra from one end and if you can get your leggies to come and bowl wide to him.
“If you are bowling to him within the stumps, he’s going to dispatch and deposit them outside the ground with a lot of ease, just make them bowl outside off and a lot of googlies, even if it becomes predictable. Just keep bowling googlies outside off and force him to go over covers and long-off,” he added.
Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) would want to continue their fightback and make it six wins in a row when they clash with Rajasthan Royals in Abu Dhabi on the 30th of October.
KXIP have won six and lost as many of the 12 matches they have played in the tournament and are placed at the number four on the points table. The Royals have won five and lost seven of the 12 matches they have played in IPL 2020 and are at number seven.