Wicket-keeper batsman Srikar Bharat commended Yuzvendra Chahal for always remaining one step ahead of the batter after enabling Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) cruise to win over Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021 in Dubai on Thursday.
Glenn Maxwell and Srikar Bharat struck 50 and 44 respectively as RCB won the match by seven wickets and 17 balls to spare chasing 150 while Yuzvendra Chahal (2/18) and Harshal Patel (3/34) did the damage with the ball to RR in the first innings.
"Chahal is a very good bowler, he varies his pace exceptionally well. You have to be right in the game at every point, you cannot fade off even at the moment. I was trying to keep myself in the game as a wicketkeeper and you know, to read him from his hands. You have to be in the game, Chahal keeps the keeper interested always," said Bharat at the post-match press conference.
With this win, RCB consolidated its position at the third spot with 14 points from 11 games.
Speaking of his knock that saw a 69-run stand between him and Maxwell for the third wicket, Bharat said his time in first-class cricket has helped to cope up with the competition in IPL.
"Whatever hard work you do on the backend always counts on the bigger platform like this. You tend to explore lots of cricket, domestic as well as franchise cricket, it all helps. It is a good feeling winning this game, I and Maxwell were just communicating in the centre and we did what the team required of us at that particular time," said Bharat.
Bharat further added playing in a star-studded team like RCB is always an opportunity for youngsters to learn from the big guns of the game.
"Definitely, you play with Virat Kohli, Maxwell, and AB de Villiers, you tend to learn a lot of good things in terms of cricket and how to handle things out of cricket. Maxwell and I discussed what areas we can access, the boundary options and how many overs a certain bowler is going to bowl," he said.
RCB will next face Punjab Kings on Sunday.
