IPL 2021: PBKS vs RCB: Katich jumps to the defence of Chahal

Bengaluru, May 1: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) coach Simon Katich has jumped to the defence of beleaguered leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal saying his place in the side is not under scanner.

The Haryana leg-spinner, who has been out of form for quite some time, has already been pushed down to the lowest grade of the Board of Control for Cricket in India's central contract after a poor last season.

With only four wickets in seven games at an economy rate of 8.26, it will be difficult for RCB to persist with him for far too long, yet Katich reposed faith in his premier leggie.

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"We won't say his spot is under the scanner," Katich said after Chahal conceded 34 runs in four overs during the 34-run loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 26 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

It happened on a track where PBKS leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi picked 2 for 17 and left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar had 3/19, including wickets of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell.

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Katich reasoned that PBKS spinners got a track which became slower while Chahal's undoing was a bad first over in which Chris Gayle hit him for two sixes.

"Obviously, their spinners bowled a much better length than we did. I guess how the wicket played, it got slower and they assessed it well and bowled a very good length," Katich explained.

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"We were off our lengths a little bit. Yuzi fought back well but got off to a slow start in that first over, it's never easy to play catch up when you've been hit in your first over. I thougt Shahbaz (Ahmed) bowled well in trying to claw things back but in the end, but 180 was too many on that wicket," he said.

RCB have now lost two games and both pretty comprehensively while batting second which is a cause of concern with the net run-rate taking a hit.

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They next take on Eoin Morgan-led Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday (May 3).

PBKS locks horns with Delhi Capitals a day earlier.