Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra believes Lucknow Super Giants should provide black-soil wicket for the Royal Challengers Bangalore game on Monday and reckons that the RCB batting trio might not enjoy the slow wickets of Lucknow as they form the core group of depleted RCB batting order.

RCB’s batting predominantly depends on their top three batters Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell to perform as their middle-order batter struggled to score in the end overs finishing the game for their side.

With Ekana Stadium producing slow wickets in this edition of the Indian Premier League,  Speaking on his youtube channel, Aakash Chopra feels that Lucknow Super Giants can go with a black-soil pitch to pick up the wicket of the RCB trio, which will eventually open out the vulnerable middle order.

“Black or red soil will decide how the match goes. I feel Lucknow should give a black-soil pitch because KGF (Kohli, Glenn, and Faf) will not like that pitch, and the rest of the batting does not have depth, which we have discussed so many times,” Aakash Chopra said.

Chopra said that they are a lot of problems in the RCB’s middle order in the absence of Rajat Patidar, with Mahipal Lomror, Shabaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik, and Suyash Prabbudessai failing to score runs in the middle overs

“We are ourselves feeling that it is a broken record because no one is scoring runs – Mahipal Lomror has scored a few runs, Rajat Patidar is not there and Shahbaz Ahmed was sent up the order but he was of no use. So they don’t have one but problems galore.”

The Faf-du Plessis led-side come into the contest after a heartbreaking defeat in the hands of underperforming Kolkata Knight Riders on home soil and will look to turn things around long run of away games starting in Lucknow.

Aakash Chopra Wants Karn Sharma To Play In Place Of Vyshak Vijaykumar

Aakash Chopra wants leg-spinner Karn Sharma to place Vyshak Vijaykumar in the team as the pitch might assist the spinner as Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, and Josh Hazlewood form the pace attack for the side.

“Play Karn Sharma here in place of Vijaykumar Vyshak. Then Wanindu Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmed’s spin – that’s how you want to go. Mohammed Siraj and Harshal Patel, and I am hearing that Josh Hazlewood is available,” Aakash Chopra added.

Chopra reckons the Hazelwood would be a good pick for the RCB side as he can do well irrespective of the conditions for the Fad du Plessis, as the Australian pacer bowled brilliantly for them in IPL 2022, missed out the initial of 2023 due to an injury he sustained during the SCG game.