"9/10 for your captaincy" - Aakash Chopra says Faf du Plessis has been a very good captain for RCB in IPL 2022

Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra has rated Faf du Plessis extremely highly as captain for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2022.

Du Plessis took over from Virat Kohli as RCB skipper when the latter opted to give up the captaincy after last season's IPL. The former South African skipper took the three-time finalists to Qualifier 2 but could not end their elusive wait for a maiden IPL title.

While reflecting on RCB's season in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was all praise for Faf du Plessis as skipper, saying:

"In my opinion, Faf's captaincy was good. Faf has been a very very good captain. He has absorbed the pressure because it is a big franchise, there are a lot of expectations. Faf du Plessis - 9/10 for your captaincy."

The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player added that barring accommodating Kohli at the top of the order, Du Plessis was not trigger-happy with the team's changes. Chopra explained:

"He didn't make too many changes in the team, it is a team that makes a lot of changes, even if someone is getting hit in a match, they have stuck to their guns. In the top order, there was an investment in Anuj Rawat at the start but then it felt right to send Kohli because the runs were not being scored."

Anuj Rawat batted at the top of the order for RCB in the first half of IPL 2022. However, considering Rawat's diminishing returns and Kohli's indifferent form, the RCB management opted to leave out the left-handed opener and instead move their former skipper to the top of the order.

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"I think he has created a great environment in the side" - Aakash Chopra on Faf du Plessis' captaincy

Faf du Plessis gelled well with the big-name players in RCB's squad [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra also praised Faf Du Plessis for creating an excellent team atmosphere. He observed:

"There were some changes happening at No. 3 but all in all, he has got the best out of his players. I think he has created a great environment in the side, where everyone started to feel good about each other."

The renowned commentator concluded by lauding the RCB skipper for using his bowlers effectively. Chopra elaborated:

"He has come and said all the right things as well and the bowling changes, that is his job only. He has done very well. In my opinion, he has controlled the game extremely well, when to bring Maxi (Maxwell) or Wanindu (Hasaranga), when to keep Harshal (Patel) back and when to bowl Josh (Hazlewood)."

Harshal Patel was predominately kept for the death while Josh Hazlewood was utilized more with the new ball. Du Plessis brought out the best from Wanindu Hasaranga by using him in the middle overs, with Glenn Maxwell also striking a few crucial blows with the ball.

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