Thaindian News

Bangalore, May 8 (IANS) Riding high on a winning streak, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are on the lookout for a befitting opener to partner Calypso giant Chris Gayle as his counterpart Tillakaratne Dilshan leaves for home to lead the Sri Lanka squad on its tour of England.

“We need to pick among the best players to partner with Gayle as opening the innings and putting up a strong partnership is crucial in a T20 format. We have a couple of good options to replace Dilshan, who clicked so well with Gayle in the last couple of games,” a beaming RCB skipper Daniel Vettori told reporters late Sunday after defeating Kochi Tuskers.

Dashing opener Dilshan, who has been named skipper of Sri Lanka for the English tour, is leaving for Colombo Monday and will not be available for the team in rest of the fourth IPL-T20 season.

Prior to Gayle joining RCB midway, Mayank Agarwal opened the innings with Dilshan in the first four games. Barring 33 in the opening tie against Kochi Tuskers at Kochi April 9, Agarwal failed to click in the next three games, which the home team lost on the trot to Mumbai Indians (April 12), Deccan Chargers (April 14) and Chennai Super Kings (April 16).

“Though Gayle and Dilshan served our purpose very well and gave winning partnerships in the last four-five games, we will decide on the other opener before the next game against Rajasthan Royals (in Jaipur May 11),” Vettori said at the post-match media briefing.

Delighted over the fifth straight win in the popular tournament, Vettori hoped the team would sustain the momentum to ensure a semi-final berth in the play-offs by going all-out in the remaining four league matches, two away and two on home turf.

“We have been playing some good cricket over the last two-three weeks to win five games at a stretch. We are working hard to maintain the tempo so that we don’t become complacent and ensure a place in the semis to reach the final,” Vettori asserted.

On Gayle’s spirited innings Sunday again turning the game their way, Vettori said it was a joy to watch the West Indian play his natural game and score sixes and fours with ease.

“It is his (Gayle) natural instinct and talent that has kept him going great. I just leaned back and watched him go on fire. It was a delight to see him swing the match in our way in a single over with a blistering 36 runs,” Vettori recalled.

Opening the innings, Gayle hit 44 runs in 16 balls with five sixes and three hits to the boundary and made it easier for Dilshan and Virat Kohli to trample Tuskers by nine wickets in 13.1 overs at the Chinnaswamy stadium here.

Tuskers’ beleaguered captain Mahela Jayawardene, however, expressed disappointment over their second defeat by RCB.

Admitting that the team failed to build partnerships after a good start to put up a defendable score, the former Sri Lankan skipper said with the way Gayle batted, there was no stopping RCB from winning, as Dilshan and Kohli built upon a solid start to finish the game on a winning note.

“We are disappointed to have lost despite a good start as our middle-order couldn’t put up a descent score to defend. Full credit to Gayle and RCB team who made best use of a good track in front of a home crowd,” Jayawardene said.

Tuskers, who made their IPL debut this IPL, won five but lost six of the 11 games played so far to slip to sixth position with 10 points.

“We need to do our best in all the three departments (batting, bowling and fielding) to win the remaining three matches if we have to make a place in the play-off stage,” Jayawardene added.