IPL 2021: KS Bharat cracks RCB's No.3 puzzle

Bengaluru, September 30: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicket-keeper KS Bharat, who has solved his team's No.3 batsman puzzle is happy to lay a solid foundation for finishers like Glenn Maxwell, which has been a key recipe in the last two wins for the Virat Kohli-led franchise.

In Match 43 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday (September 29) night, RCB dished out a clinical display with both bat and ball to record a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals.

The win helped RCB stay third in IPL 2021 table and boosted their prospects of a top-two finish.

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With knocks of 32 and 44 against Mumbai Indians and Royals, Bharat has more or less sorted out RCB's problems with their one-drop batter in IPL 2021.

"So, No.3 is always a beautiful spot to play. It asks a lot of questions if you aren't ready for it. And we at RCB, we've always focussed on keeping the strike going and get busy right from ball one," Bharat said at the post-match press conference.

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"And the little things of running and calling well and rotating the strike, all these little pointers, it plays a huge role in building up a partnership," the Andhra keeper-batsman said.

For him, providing a platform for Maxwell and De Villiers to have a final assault is the main thing.

"The No.3 is someone who keeps the scoreboard ticking at 8 or 9 per over, then you'll have a good base (and) for people like Maxi (Maxwell) and AB coming in after 12th over.

"If you've the wickets in hand, then you can go all out towards the end of the innings. So, the message is clear saying I should get a partnership going and we're sticking to it," he explained.

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Just like any youngster would say, Bharat was no different when asked the staple question about what he has learnt from the likes of Kohli and De Villiers.

"If you play with Virat bhai (Virat Kohli), AB (De Villiers) and (Glenn) Maxwell, you tend to learn a lot of good things in terms of cricket and as well as how to handle yourself on and off the field," Bharat added.

Bharat and Maxwell, one of the sought after T20 player, shared a crucial stand which helped RCB and the stumper said that the communication between the two was all tactical.

"And coming back to this innings, me and Maxi (Maxwell), we were having the conversation of what're the areas we could access and what're the boundary options... "....how many overs one particular bowler is going to bowl, what're his lengths, so it's all purely tactical things what we were discussing out in the centre and it came out well," he noted.

On his 44-run knock against the Sanju Samson-led Royals, Bharat said, "It'is obviously a good feeling winning this game and coming back to it and contributing going out in the centre."

The Royals next taken on Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday (October 2).

RCB locks horns with KL Rahul-led Punjab Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium a day later.

(With inputs from Agencies)