IPL 2021: “Padikkal left too much for de Villiers” - Gautam Gambhir reflects on RCB’s ‘mediocre’ batting effort

Former India batter Gautam Gambhir reckons that Devdutt Padikkal left too much for even a genius like AB de Villiers to do in the chase against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Wednesday.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were stunned by SRH by four runs in match number 52 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 in Abu Dhabi. RCB needed 142 to win. However, opener Padikkal’s 52-ball 41 stalled the chase.

Analyzing RCB’s performance against SRH, Gambhir termed the batting effort mediocre. In a discussion on ESPN Cricinfo, Gambhir said:

“You expect RCB to chase anything with the kind of batting they have? On this wicket in Abu Dhabi, 190 got chased a couple of days. Yes, there was some very good bowling from Sunrisers but there was some very mediocre batting from RCB as well."

Gambhir also opined that Padikkal should have batted till the end after he consumed a lot of deliveries during his innings. He further elaborated:

“Devdutt Padikkal batted for 52 balls for his 41. If you’ve batted for so many deliveries, you expect the batter to finish off the match. You’ve left too much for AB de Villiers. When Maxwell was going great guns, you got him run out as well. That was not the best single. Unfortunately for RCB, it was not the best batting but it was very smart bowling and very smart captaincy as well (by SRH).”

RCB were 92 for 3 after 14 overs, with Maxwell guiding the chase. However, the latter was run out following a mix-up with Padikkal and RCB could never recover from that jolt.

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Gautam Gambhir questions De Villiers batting at No. 6 for RCB

AB de Villiers plays the reverse sweep. Pic: IPLT20.COM

RCB promoted Christian to No. 3 during the chase but he was out for just one run. Gambhir lashed out at Bangalore over the move, pointing out that it forced their best batter, De Villiers, to come in at No. 6. Asked if RCB’s batting was in proper shape, Gambhir responded with a vehement no and added:

“Absolutely not. By promoting Dan (Christian) to No. 3, you are asking (Srikar) Bharat to bat at No. 4, Maxwell comes down at No. 5 and then your best batter, the genius (AB de Villiers) bats at No. 6. He should be batting nothing below than No. 5.”

Gambhir claimed that things could have turned out differently for RCB had De Villiers come into bat earlier. The former cricketer added:

“If AB had batted at five, things could have been different. AB batting at No. 6 makes what sense? What are you expecting out of Christian that Bharat can’t do or Maxwell can’t do in this kind of form? There’s no one better than AB de Villiers even if he doesn’t play international cricket. Pushing him to six is a bizarre move. How can someone do it? I can’t understand."

Following the upset against SRH, RCB’s hopes of finishing in the top two of the IPL points table 2021 received a major hit. Even if they win their last match against Delhi and Chennai go down to Punjab, RCB’s run rate would, most likely, mean that they remain third.