"That's one big contest" - Aakash Chopra on RCB openers and Maxwell's battle against the KKR spinners

Aakash Chopra expects the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) openers and Glenn Maxwell's contest against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinners to be a riveting one.

The two sides will lock horns in an IPL 2023 clash in Bengaluru on Wednesday, April 26. The home team will want to exact revenge for the 81-run hammering they received at the hands of KKR at the Eden Gardens in the reverse fixture between the two teams.

While previewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that KKR will target RCB's three most accomplished batters with spin, saying:

"I feel Bangalore will have the same template - Faf du Plessis with Virat Kohli and then Glenn Maxwell. I feel spin will be introduced very early because they have Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy and you might also see Suyash Sharma playing."

The former KKR player added:

"They (RCB) got stuck last time but will they get stuck this time? They shouldn't get stuck on the Chinnaswamy pitch but they shouldn't have gotten stuck there as well, the ball wasn't turning that much. But I am expecting a lot of spin even in the powerplay overs. So that's one big contest - spin of Kolkata vs the openers and Maxwell of Bangalore."

KKR set a massive 205-run target for RCB in the earlier game between the two sides. Sunil Narine then got rid of Virat Kohli and Varun Chakaravarthy dismissed both Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell as the visitors were bundled out for 123.

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"Bangalore's strength is that they are saving matches while defending" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's bowling might

Mohammed Siraj is RCB's most successful bowler in IPL 2023 thus far. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra picked the Royal Challengers Bangalore's ability to defend totals as a huge positive for the franchise, explaining:

"The second big story of this match will be Bangalore's bowling and the opposition team's batting. Bangalore's strength is that they are saving matches while defending. They have won three matches while defending. They were a team who weren't able to defend at all."

While praising Mohammed Siraj for his outstanding performances, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that the other RCB bowlers have complemented him well, elaborating:

"The main reason is Mohammed Siraj - he is outstanding. Harshal Patel - he has been absolutely gold dust in day games. Wanindu Hasaranga is looking slightly 50-50 but whether it is Wayne Parnell or Vijaykumar Vyshak in one match - they find a way. They are actually a very decent bowling unit."

Siraj has picked up 13 wickets in seven matches at an excellent economy rate of 7.14. Harshal Patel has accounted for 10 dismissals but has proved a little expensive as he has conceded an average of 9.77 runs per over.