Renowned cricketer-turned-manager Tom Moody has raised concerns about the use of Wanindu Hasaranga by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Moody believes that RCB missed an opportunity by failing to utilize Hasaranga’s batting skills effectively.
Tom Moody noted that Hasaranga, an RCB player, always batted lower in the team’s batting order. In contrast, Moody noted that the Sri Lankan cricketer has shown promising batting performances at international level. The coach suggested that RCB should have used Hasaranga’s abilities further up the order to make an impact as an all-rounder.
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Expressing his thoughts to ESPNcricinfo, Tom Moody stated: “The only resource I felt they didn’t use and should have looked at was [Wanindu] Hasaranga, the batsman. It may have been a way for him to get into the tournament more as an all-rounder. He has done it for Sri Lanka, and they could have used him as an impact player higher up the order. He was drifting at nine past eight most often.”
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Hasaranga’s performances in IPL 2023 have been disappointing, scoring just 33 runs in five innings. He too has struggled to make any significant impact with the ball, taking nine wickets in eight games at an 8.89 economy rate.
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Tom Moody comments on the pros and cons of RCB
However, Tom Moody acknowledged the impressive performances of Mohammed Siraj, RCB’s right-hand man. Siraj excelled in powerplay overs, consistently providing his team with crucial early drives.
Moody praised Siraj’s impact, saying: “Mohammed Siraj was brilliant, particularly on those powerplay overs. He just dominated… taking at least a wicket or two on those power plays. He had a tournament to remember”.
Siraj emerged as RCB’s leading wicket-taker in IPL 2023, claiming 19 wickets in 14 matches.
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Looking ahead, Tom Moody stressed the importance of RCB making tough decisions in preparation for the upcoming season. He specifically mentioned the need to assess the role of Harshal Patel, given the challenging bowling conditions at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Moody’s urged RCB to assess whether Patel, who was the biggest wicket-taker in IPL 2021, is the right fit for the team at their home venue.
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“It is a season of reflection for RCB on where they need to go to fill the gaps. On the bowling front they need to consider what they are going to do about Harshal Patel, is he the bowler they need at Chinnaswamy Stadium which is a tough place to bowl? Moody commented.
As RCB looks at their performance and plan for the future, addressing the concerns raised by Tom Moody could be crucial in their quest for success in the upcoming IPL seasons.
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