IPL 2022: What is plaguing RCB’s batting? And other burning questions from Saturday doubleheader – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Gujarat Titans consolidated their position at the top of the IPL 2022 points table with six wins in seven matches after beating Kolkata Knight Riders despite posting a below-par total. Royal Challengers Bangalore, meanwhile, were bowled out for the lowest total (68 all out) in the season on the same date as their infamous 49 all out (lowest score in IPL) and the famous 263/5 (highest score in IPL).

Here we ask a few burning questions from the doubleheader.

How much has Hardik Pandya improved when asked to bat early?

Hardik Pandya has taken on a completely different role in IPL 2022, batting higher up the order and taking more responsibility in a slightly weak batting line-up and his returns have been excellent. Until 2021, Hardik had walked in to bat inside the first 10 overs in the IPL just 15 times, totalling 299 runs, averaging 23 with the bat and striking at a rate of 126.7.

Hardik Pandya has scored three fifties in four times he has walked in to bat inside the powerplay. Image: Sportzpics for IPL

In 2022, though, Hardik has already walked in to bat inside the first 10 overs five times, scoring 268 runs, averaging 89.3 and striking at 135.4. The all-rounder has scored three fifties in the four times he walked in to bat inside the powerplay this season. In a new role, the Gujarat Titans skipper is scoring big runs and is now the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament behind Jos Buttler.

Why KKR should stop using Sunil Narine at the top?

Between 2017 and 2019, Sunil Narine at the top of the batting order became a revelation for Kolkata Knight Riders. The pinch hitter would take on the bowling inside the powerplay overs and lay the platform for the middle-order which would then anchor the innings till Andre Russell walked in and sparked more fireworks. It was a unique template, that opposition sides took time to adapt to.

Since 2020, though, teams figured out that bowling short to Narine with pace was a foolproof strategy, one that the West Indian struggled to counter. His powerplay strike rate in 2017-2019 in the IPL was 184.87, the best in the league. Since 2020, and before last night, that strike rate dropped to 90.24 with the average at a shocking 5.29.

With this in mind, it was surprising to see KKR go back to Narine at the top of the order when they had others ready to step in to play similar roles. Gujarat had a deep square leg and fine leg ready for Narine with Shami bowling short to him. Inevitably, Narine pulled one straight to fine leg to be dismissed.

What has helped Gujarat Titans win consistently in absence of strong batting?

Gujarat Titans have a fragile batting line-up, with Shubman Gill, their key player, making just 27 runs in his last four innings. Hardik Pandya’s form has made up for their issues a bit with the likes of David Miller and Wriddhiman Saha also stepping up in the odd game. To their credit, they haven’t tried to balance their line-up by plugging in an extra batter, and have instead focussed on further strengthening their bowling to make it one of the most intimidating unit in the season.

With Rashid Khan, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal and now Alzarri Joseph in the bowling line-up, Gujarat Titans have been ruthless. In six of the seven matches, Gujarat have restricted teams to totals of 170 or lower. The only time they conceded more was against Punjab Kings, when the Mayank Agarwal-led side made 185.

Notably, they haven’t bowled out any team, but have instead managed to restrict run flow. Three of their six main bowlers have economy rates of less than eight runs per over in the season.

Similar type of batters at top has made RCB’s job tough in IPL 2022. Image: Sportzpics for IPL

Why RCB’s batting issues were bound to happen after their auction performance

Royal Challengers Bangalore added Faf du Plessis to the top order in the mega auction with Virat Kohli already a part of the line-up. It was a contentious decision given how one-dimensional that would make their powerplay batting. To top it off, they added Anuj Rawat at the top of the order. Kohli and du Plessis are traditionally slow starters and like to bat for longer periods by building up their strike rate over time. In the middle overs, the duo are pretty restrictive against spin in particular with Ruturaj Gaikwad, at CSK, and Glenn Maxwell, at RCB last year, covering up for Faf and Kohli respectively with their efficiency against spin.

Anuj, meanwhile, was expected to be the left-hander at the top of the order who separates Kohli and Faf. But the rookie has played out more than 50% dot balls and has a strike rate of 109.3 with an average of 16.1. By making Faf the captain, RCB further shot themselves in the foot, because now they are forced to have both Kohli and Faf in the top three. They have Finn Allen on the sidelines, one of the most powerful strikers in the world in T20 cricket today, but cannot play him because of the make-up of their side.

Is Natarajan the most underrated bowler this season?

T Natarajan is the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2022 so far with 15 wickets at an average of 14.53. The Sunrisers Hyderabad quick has been a revelation across phases this season, doing better than the average bowler in each of the three phases. In the powerplay, Natarajan has six wickets, at an impressive economy rate of 6.83 with wickets coming every six balls on an average.

In the middle overs, Natarajan has taken only one wicket, but his economy rate of 7.3 is once again top-notch with him conceding just six boundaries in the 60 balls he has bowled in that phase. In the death overs, Natarajan has gone at an economy rate of 9.45 and has eight wickets at an average of 13 in this phase. The left-arm quick has nailed his yorkers and has bowled to clever plans all through the season to stand out despite clearly lacking the kind of pace that bowlers thrive on in the league.

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