Virat Kohli’s no-leniency approach has brought the best out of Glenn Maxwell for RCB – Yuzvendra Chahal
Experienced wrist-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal feels skipper Virat Kohli has had a major influence behind Glenn Maxwell’s consistent performances for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in this year’s edition of the IPL.
Maxwell, whom RCB bought for a whopping sum of INR 14.25 crores ahead of IPL 2021, was considered a very risky purchase by fans and experts.
Despite his undoubted ability, the attacking Australian right-hander has been a notoriously inconsistent performer in the history of the IPL. Maxwell has a career IPL strike-rate of 153.32 but his 1,728 runs have come at an average of only 23.35.
In the last season where he played for Punjab franchise, Maxwell managed just 108 runs at an average of 15.42 and a shocking strike-rate of 101.88 before he was released.
Yuzvendra Chahal credits Virat Kohli for Glenn Maxwell’s revival
Though Glenn Maxwell has been a more regular performer for Australia at the international stage, no IPL team could claim to have gotten the best out of him over consecutive seasons.
But RCB took a leap of faith and went after Maxwell wholeheartedly at the auction. They have so far reaped the rewards for it, as Maxwell heads across to UAE for the second half of IPL 2021 as his team’s top run-getter.
Also Read: Virat Kohli’s template – perennially riddled with twists and turns
The aggressive willow-holder boasts of an impressive tournament tally at the halfway mark, having scored 223 runs from his seven innings at an average of 37.16 and strike-rate of 144.80.
The record looks even more impressive in the context that none of RCB’s matches during the Indian leg were played at their home base in Bangalore. Maxwell has been highly impactful for his latest IPL team.
Speaking on Maxwell’s form and pleasantly surprising consistency this year on former India player turned commentator Aakash Chopra’s YouTube show, Chahal talked up the role played by Kohli behind the Australian’s success for RCB.
He said a no-leniency approach that is followed by Kohli and his team has almost forced Maxwell to come out of his comfort zone and perform to his level best.
“I think the captain makes the difference. He knows our captain is the captain of the Indian team as well, who doesn’t like [leniency]. He likes it when you give your 100% on the field irrespective of what you do off it. Maxwell knew that and that slight leniency that was in other IPL franchises he wouldn’t find here,” Chahal, RCB’s veteran leg-spinner, said in conversation with Chopra.
Whatever the influence is, RCB will hope that Maxwell can maintain the great form he showed in India during the second half of the season as well.
RCB will resume their IPL 2021 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi on September 20.
Kohli & company are currently third in the tournament standings with 5 wins and 2 losses from seven matches.