Cricket

RCB Urged to Prioritize Indian Players for IPL SuccessFormer Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has advised Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to invest heavily in Indian players if they aspire to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy. Kaif's comments come after RCB's recent resurgence in the tournament, despite a dismal start that saw them lose six consecutive matches.Kaif praised RCB's comeback but cautioned that their chances of making the playoffs are slim. He emphasized the need for the franchise to learn from their experiences and prioritize investing in Indian talent."This is a lesson for RCB for next year. You have to back Indian players," Kaif said. "KKR have invested in Indian players and they are on top, so are Rajasthan Royals."Kaif urged RCB to shift their focus towards nurturing Indian talent, stating, "RCB should bring in Indian players. Do scouting, bring them in and back them."He cautioned against RCB's reliance on foreign players, stating, "They have an obsession about foreign players...RCB now have learnt how to win without stars like Maxwell. It should serve as a lesson for them."Kaif stressed the need for RCB to adopt a proactive approach in grooming Indian talent, emphasizing, "They should invest in them, they will win them the trophy. KKR did it, RR did it. Take examples of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel. And Sanju Samson - RR invested a lot on him and now they are reaping the rewards. So, RCB should identify Indian players and back them."

IPL 2023: Home Dominance, Indian Stars Shine, and the Impact of the Two Bouncer RuleThe Indian Premier League (IPL) has kicked off with a bang, and six games in, there are already some notable trends emerging.Home DominanceOne striking feature of the tournament so far has been the dominance of home teams. All six games have been won by the team playing at their home venue. Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Gujarat Titans (GT), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have all emerged victorious on their home turf. It remains to be seen whether this trend will continue throughout the tournament.Indian Players ShiningThe IPL has always been a platform for Indian players to showcase their talent, and this year is no exception. Despite the presence of several foreign stars, Indian players have made a significant impact in the early stages of the tournament. Harshit Rana for KKR, Virat Kohli for RCB, Mohit Sharma and Sai Kishore for the Titans, Naman Dheer's cameo for MI, Harpreet Brar's squeeze act for Punjab vs RCB, and Yash Dayal and Mohd Siraj's timely strikes for Punjab have all been standout performances.Two Bouncer RuleAnother notable aspect of the tournament has been the effective use of the two bouncer rule by pacers. This rule allows bowlers to bowl two bouncers per over, and it has been used both defensively and offensively. Mohit Sharma and Spencer Johnson used the large field and biggish square boundaries at Ahmedabad to bang the ball in the surface and make the MI batters hit the ball in the air, resulting in catches in the deep. RCB also used the ploy to strangle Shivam Dube of CSK. Former South African pace great Dale Steyn tweeted, "Short ball tactic is already showing who can and who can't. Gana (sic) be a long tournament for some batters."