Srikkanth Blasts RCB: Stop Playing Abhinandan Singh or Keep Losing — it's That Simple

Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth has strongly criticised Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for persisting with pacer Abhinandan Singh following his expensive performance against Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash.Srikkanth did not hold back in his assessment, describing the young fast bowler as a “run-feeder” and warning that the team would continue to struggle if he remains in the playing XI. His comments came after RCB suffered their first defeat of the season, with Rajasthan Royals successfully chasing down a 202-run target in dominant fashion.

Abhinandan Singh endured a particularly difficult outing in the match, conceding 54 runs in just three overs. He was heavily targeted by Rajasthan’s batters, including young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, who capitalised on his lack of control and consistency during the powerplay and middle overs.

The right-arm pacer, who made his IPL debut earlier this season against Sunrisers Hyderabad, has struggled to make an impact so far. Across three matches, he has managed to take only three wickets while conceding runs at an economy rate of nearly 13 per over, raising concerns about his effectiveness at this level.

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Srikkanth emphasised that team selection decisions would play a crucial role in RCB’s campaign going forward. He suggested that continuing with an underperforming bowler could cost the team valuable matches in a highly competitive tournament like the IPL, where margins are often slim and consistency is key.

RCB, the defending champions, had shown promising form at the start of the season but now face questions over their bowling combinations after the loss. With the tournament progressing and competition intensifying, the team management may be forced to reassess its strategy to avoid further setbacks.

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