Aakash Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel, stated that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC) will be the most affected teams due to the absence of their overseas stars as IPL Phase 2 approaches.
In his discussion about the upcoming IPL Phase 2, set to begin on May 17th, Aakash elaborated on how the missing overseas players could impact the playoff chances of qualified teams vying for the title. He specifically noted that RCB and DC would face significant challenges without key players like Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
Aakash Chopra Highlights IPL Phase 2 Challenge for RCB and DC
Currently, RCB sits at 16 points, on the verge of qualifying, with two matches remaining. Reports indicate they will miss their in-form bowler Josh Hazlewood for the rest of the season due to a minor shoulder injury. Hazlewood has taken 18 wickets in 11 matches, making him a crucial player for RCB, but confirmation of his absence is still pending.
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For Delhi Capitals, currently at 13 points with a shot at qualification, they will reportedly miss star bowler Mitchell Starc for the remainder of the season. Jake Fraser-McGurk has already announced he won't be returning to India for Phase 2, and DC has signed Mustafizur Rahman as his replacement. The official word on Starc's situation is still awaited.
"Reports suggest that Josh Hazlewood won’t return for RCB, and it appears that Mitchell Starc also won’t come. If both Starc and Hazlewood are unavailable, it will hinder RCB and Delhi," Aakash said. He also mentioned that Jake Fraser-McGurk will not be coming back, which won’t have a major impact since he wasn't playing anyway.
Aakash Chopra pointed out that the absence of Australian players will be significant, as Cricket Australia has begun calling players back for preparations for the World Test Championship (WTC) Finals.
"Cricket Australia has said players can decide whether they want to return or not. I don't know who will come back and who won't. Teams are starting to call them, but we really don’t know who will be available. I think the teams with more Australians will be at a disadvantage," he observed.
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