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'Anuj Rawat and Shahbaz Ahmed Haven’t Been Able to Capitalise': Sanjay Bangar Criticises RCB Youngsters

image-lhhfjra7Anuj Rawat has only scored 39 runs in 6 matches [AP Photos]

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) succumbed to their sixth defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 last evening, when Mumbai Indians beat them by six wickets while chasing a mammoth 200. Asked to bat, apart from Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell, no other RCB batter could perform.

Suryakumar Yadav's blitz and Nehal Wadhera's unbeaten 52, helped Mumbai win the encounter, and climb to third in the points table, as RCB slipped down to seventh spot. 

This season has been disappointing for RCB as a batting unit, where no one other than Virat Kohli, du Plessis, and Maxwell have stood up. Indian youngsters like Anuj Rawat and Shahbaz Ahmed have too faltered under pressure. Only Mahipal Lomror has shown sparks of brilliance. 

Batting coach Sanjay Bangar has admitted that young Indian talents has not been able to stand up in crunch moments for RCB, which has been worrisome. As quoted by Indian Express, the former India player revealed that the batting unit is built around Kohli, Maxwell, du Plessis, and Karthik.

Lomror has managed 133 runs in nine matches, in contrast to Rawat's 39 in six games. Meanwhile, all-rounder Ahmed has scored 42 runs in eight encounters.

Here's what Bangar said

“They are not progressing at a very good rate. Our younger batter Mahipal Lomror has been the one who has taken his chances well but Anuj Rawat and Shahbaz Ahmed whenever they have gotten those opportunities, unfortunately, they haven’t been able to capitalise on it. 

But that’s the learning you have to be patient with the younger players and expect that they will take their opportunities and churn out match-winning performances for the team. We were built in such a way wherein Maxwell, Faf, Virat and Dinesh were going to be the fulcrum of the batting unit and the younger players would play around them,”

On the loss against MI, Bangar said that 10-15 more runs would have made the match more interesting. RCB travels to Jaipur next to take on Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.