11 Cr Wasted? Phil Salt Puts RCB Management Under Pressure With Another Failure

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Phil Salt in English jersey [Source: @RcbianOfficial/x.com]Phil Salt in English jersey [Source: @RcbianOfficial/x.com]

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India are currently taking on England in the second T20I of the five-match series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. England failed to get off to a good start as their star opener, Phil Salt, was again dismissed by Arshdeep Singh in the first over. 

In the two matches of the series so far, Phil Salt has registered scores of 0 and 4. The fact that RCB bought him for ₹ 11 Cr during the IPL 2025 auction will cause them to be tense after his two consecutive failures.

Here is a look at why RCB might have committed a mistake in buying him for ₹11 Cr.

1. Failing To Adapt To Indian Conditions

This Indian series would have been the ideal preparatory stage for Phil Salt to adjust to the Indian conditions. With IPL 2025 two months away, Salt could have made the best use of this series to adjust his game to the Indian conditions and leave the best impact for RCB during the upcoming edition of the tournament. However, it seems that Salt is struggling to adjust to the Indian conditions, and thus, his failure during IPL 2025 could prove costly to RCB.

2. Failure To Perform Across Grounds In IPL 2024

Phil Salt had a great IPL 2024 season, which could be one reason that RCB bought him for IPL 2025. But a deeper look at his IPL career reveals a strange pattern. During IPL 2024, Eden Gardens was his home ground, and he scored runs at an average of 58.33 and had a strike rate of 185.19 at the venue. Now, at other venues across India, Salt failed to fire. Barring Eden Gardens, he did not have an average in the double figures at any other venue in IPL 2024. This failure of Salt to adjust to the different playing conditions in India points to the fact that RCB might have committed a mistake in buying him.

3. Lack Of Ability To Build The Innings

Phil Salt, at present, looks like a unidimensional player. He is putting pressure on himself if the bowlers are bowling a few dot balls to start with. The patience to give some time to the bowlers and get a feel of the wicket seems to be missing in him. So far, Salt is seemingly missing the quality of pacing his innings as a T20 opener. It is a thing that a T20 opener must have to succeed in India and the absence of that might cost RCB in the upcoming edition.