The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League will start on 31st March where defending champion Gujarat Titans will take on the four-time winner Chennai Super Kings. Before the start of the tournament, former Indian batter and one of the most celebrated commentators Aakash Chopra predicted the fortune of Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB).
Aakash Chopra has expressed his blunt opinion that RCB will not secure a spot in the top three positions of the IPL points table at the end of the league stage in the 2023 IPL season.
RCB has reached the IPL finals three times but hasn’t won the championship yet. They will begin their IPL season in Bangalore on April 2nd by playing against the five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
During an episode of the ‘AakashVani’ show on JioCinema, Chopra commented that in the upcoming season, RCB will have to struggle to secure a spot in the final playoffs. He explained that playing at their home ground will be a big challenge for them. Chopra also suggested that the success of RCB in the tournament will depend heavily on the performance of their bowlers.
“This team should qualify but Bangalore’s problems are when they start playing at home. They are a gun side when they play in neutral venues. It is going to be a different challenge. They can be on the cusp. They can finish anywhere between four and six. They might not come in the top three,” said Chopra.
He further added, “The bowlers’ column decides where you go because batting almost cancels each other out, especially when you play at home. The first name is Wanindu Hasaranga. After that, there is a big question mark over Josh Hazlewood’s availability.”
