Will RCB bowling struggle without Hazlewood, Yash Dayal? Aakash Chopra reacts

Aakash Chopra recently shared his views on RCB's bowling lineup, expressing concerns that the team could face challenges with Josh Hazlewood set to miss a few matches and Yash Dayal unavailable for the entire season.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra shared his views on Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s bowling combination, suggesting that the team could encounter difficulties this season. With Josh Hazlewood unavailable for the first few matches and Yash Dayal ruled out for the entire season, the defending champions may face added pressure in their bowling department, according to Chopra.

RCB’s preparations are in full swing ahead of their opening match on March 28 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Both teams have been training extensively while testing different combinations ahead of the new season. Amid these build-ups, Chopra released a video on his YouTube channel discussing his analysis and RCB’s probable playing XI.

Last season, Hazlewood played a crucial role for RCB, picking up 22 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 17.54. However, due to recent injuries, the Australian pacer will miss the initial phase of the tournament.

Dayal also made significant contributions, stepping up in the death overs and taking key wickets. In a match against CSK, Yash Dayal dismissed MS Dhoni with a classic yorker while conceding just 18 runs in his three overs. However, the franchise has confirmed that he will miss the entire tournament due to personal reasons.

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Apart from this, Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma picked up a combined total of 25 wickets in the previous IPL season. However, with both Yash and Josh unavailable, the major responsibility now shifts towards Suyash, Krunal, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Chopra doubts whether this trio will be able to take on that responsibility and deliver the same kind of bowling performance as last year.