Big-hitting Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Chris Lynn today said Royal Challengers Bangalore would be the team to beat in the upcoming 10th edition of the Indian Premier League.
"It's difficult to go past RCB with their strength in batting. The quality of players and the coaching staff, make them the side to beat," the Australian said.
RCB have a star-studded batting line-up, comprising among others Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers. De Villiers would be leading the team in the initial few matches owing to Kohli's injury-forced absence. The team also has fine finishers with Shane Watson, Kedar Jadhav and Stuart Binny.
"Our plan will be to bowl as many dot balls as possible. It will be challenging but if we can reduce the amount of boundaries conceded then that will go a long in winning the game," Lynn said about the team's strategy on the sidelines of the launch of KKR Gallery at Fanattic Sports Museum at Ecospace in New Town.
On the absence of key Indian players like Kohli, he said: "There are 14 games in the season, they would be out only for a few games. That won't have any impact as a whole." "We will also miss Umesh (Yadav) for a couple of games so he will walk straight back into the side. He's a vital part of the team. It will be fine," he said.
The Brisbane Heat captain pulled off the fastest fifty in the Big Bash League in 2014-15 with an 18-ball half-century. he he backed his fellow Indian all-rounder Yusuf Pathan to do something similar in the IPL.
"Yusuf Pathan's role is to hit the fastest fifty of the tournament. He's going to come at number five or six and add power to the batting order by clearing the ropes, hitting as many sixes as possible. That's what Pathan does the best." "We also have a good pace bowling attack with Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Woakes and Umesh Yadav up front and then we have some quality spinners," Lynn said.
In another promotional event, the team's aggressive batsman Darren Bravo said he feels privileged to be playing in the IPL.
"By all means, the IPL is the No.1 Twenty20 competition in the world. I am very privileged to be part of the KKR team," Bravo said.
