'RCB squad should help in taking all the pressure off Virat Kohli': Brett Lee on Bengaluru franchise winning IPL in UAE

With the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) just a month away, the excitement around the cash-rich tournament is increasing amongst fans.

This year, though, things will be different as the tournament will be played between September to November and also will be played in three cities of the UAE - Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai. 

With these changes and the mini-auction that took place in December last year, many cricket pundits believe there could be opportunities for a few teams to make way for themselves on the top - one of them being Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Kohli’s RCB has not won even one title since its inception in 2008, but this year, many believe that RCB has a good chance to lift the title because of the balanced team with players who can find success in the UAE.

Former Australia cricketer Brett Lee believes that for RCB to succeed, there should be less pressure on their captain Virat Kohli.

“I just want Kohli to go out there and enjoy his cricket, take all the pressure off himself as a captain and player,” Lee said in the latest episode of Star Sports’ Cricket Connected chat show.

“Because he is so good at that level, I think sometimes with all the pressure going around in the team, people are failing, he tries to get all the players on his back and tries to

carry them,” Lee further explained. “All the RCB squad should help out in taking all the pressure off Kohli.”

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has also praised RCB buy Aaron Finch and said that the Aussie could be another big player for the franchise apart from Kohli and AB de Villiers. “Aaron Finch is the guy whom I hope can give them a little bit of steadiness. They have a lot of class, flash and brilliance and then Aaron Finch can become the guy who can hold it all together,” Manjrekar said on the same show.

Lee concurred with Manjrekar and added that Kohli should make Finch his deputy this year. “I think Aaron Finch could play the role of vice-captain to Virat Kohli,” he said.

As for the IPL 2020, it will begin from September 19 this year with the final to be played on November 10th.