New Delhi, May 17: In IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) initially opened with Virat Kohli and Phil Salt. However, after six matches, Salt was sidelined due to injury. RCB turned to young English left-handed batsman Jacob Bethel to partner with Kohli at the top of the order, but Bethel has yet to deliver.
Bethel is a talented batsman, having scored a memorable century against India in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026. RCB hoped he would replicate that performance in the IPL. Unfortunately, Bethel’s contributions have not met expectations. Since stepping in for Salt, he has opened in seven matches alongside Kohli and has failed to make an impact in any of them. He has not scored a single half-century, with his highest score being just 27 runs. In these seven innings, he has managed only 97 runs, disappointing RCB fans.
While Salt is recovering, RCB may consider Venkatesh Iyer as an opening partner for Kohli. Iyer, a left-handed batsman, has extensive IPL experience and can play aggressively while stabilizing the innings. He has had limited opportunities this season, but if given a chance, he could resolve RCB’s opening woes. Additionally, Iyer can contribute with the ball as well.
Having proven his talent while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, Iyer has scored 740 runs in 22 matches as an opener for that team. Ahead of the match against Punjab Kings on Sunday, he has accumulated 1,509 runs in 65 IPL matches across various positions, including one century and 12 half-centuries.
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