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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has been presented with a task to end their miserable run of form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) as they take on a highly balanced, power-packed Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday.
Though RCB's bowling has been extremely underwhelming, with Mohammed Siraj and Alzarri Joseph being key culprits so far with their poor returns as fast bowlers,. It is the batting, though, which has left many fans disappointed. Hyped for its star-powered trio of 'KGF' (Kohli, Glenn, and Faf), veteran finisher Dinesh Karthik and promising talent like Cameron Green and Rajat Patidar, the line-up has failed to click as a unit, with Virat and Dinesh doing the heavy lifting. In four matches, Virat has scored 203 runs at an average of 67.66 and a strike rate of almost 141, with two half-centuries. His best score is 83*. He is the Orange Cap holder in the season so far for most runs. The rest of the batting line-up, especially the fiery overseas batting trio of Faf (65 runs in four matches at an average of 16.25), Maxwell (31 runs in four matches at an average of 7.75) and Cameron Green (63 runs in four matches at an average of 15.75), have failed to live up to the gigantic expectations attached to their names. One of the biggest failures this season has been Maxwell, who has not managed to contribute anything of note with the bat except a 19-ball 28 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Though he has taken four crucial wickets and four matches is too small a sample size, fans want 'The Big Show' to deliver a blockbuster performance with the bat or pave way for someone on the sidelines. As Maxwell is on a poor run, a question can be raised, should batting all-rounder Will Jacks get a chance? Jacks, a 25-year-old English all-rounder, is a like-to-like replacement for the Australian veteran, known for his effective right-arm spin and ability to go big from ball one. He has been a sought-after player in the T20 League circuit, having played in the Bangladesh Premier League, SA20 seasons one and two, and The Hundred recently. In 2023, Jacks played 41 T20s, scoring 1,196 runs at an average of 29.90 with a strike rate of 163.38, with nine fifties in 41 innings. His best score was 96. This year in 14 T20Is and 13 innings, Jacks has made 402 runs at an average of 33.50 and a strike rate of over 174. He has scored two centuries and fifty, with his best score being 108*. The total aggregate for Jacks since 2023 is: 1,598 runs in 55 T20Is and 54 innings at an average of 30.73 at a strike rate of over 165, with two centuries and 10 fifties. In 2023, Maxwell played a total of 35 T20Is, scoring 892 runs at an average of 28.77 and at a strike rate of over 171, with a century and five fifties. (519 balls). This year, Maxwell has made 339 runs (185 balls) in 14 matches and 14 innings at an average of 28.25 and a strike rate of over 183, with a century to his name. The total aggregate for Maxwell since 2023 is: 1,231 runs in 49 matches and innings at an average of 28.62 and a strike rate of over 174, with two centuries and five fifties. While both are extremely capable spin bowlers as well, Jacks beats Maxwell in all aspects of his current form except for strike-rate, where he competes well with the Australian star. Jacks was brought by RCB back in 2022 at Rs 3.2 crores, but could not play in the 2023 season due to injury and was replaced by New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell. Should RCB persist with Maxwell due to his big-match experience or give a younger Jacks a go for the first time? (ANI)
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