IPL 2021: Want X-factor like Maxwell, RCB will look at him, says Gambhir

Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir feels Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) should rope in Australian swashbuckling batsman Glenn Maxwell in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction on Thursday.

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The IPL 2021 Player Auction list was announced last week, with a total of 292 cricketers set to go under the hammer in Chennai on February 18. Gambhir said Maxwell's inclusion in the RCB camp will reduce pressure off skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.

"They (RCB) would need some quality players because they have let go of some quality players - Moeen Ali and Umesh Yadav for example. There are not many fast bowlers going around in the Indian circuit at the moment," said Gambhir on Star Sports' show Cricket Connected- Auction Special.

"You've got Navdeep Saini who is young, you've got someone like Mohammed Siraj, he can go hot and cold in T20 cricket, so probably releasing Umesh Yadav was a big surprise. Probably, they will look at someone like Glenn Maxwell because they need to get take a lot of pressure out of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers," he added.

The former Indian batsman wants Kohli to open the batting for RCB with Devdutt Paddikal in IPL 2021.

"Looking at the combination as well, Virat Kohli would look to open the batting, that's what I think. I'm not sure, that is up to the management and Virat Kohli himself, whether he wants to, but yes, he's more suited to open the batting," said Gambhir.

"And he will open with Devdutt Paddikal and then, you have AB de Villiers. You want someone like an X-factor, like Maxwell, and at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where it's flat and small, so he can have that impact. So, probably, they will look at someone like Maxwell," he added.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra feels Maxwell will be the most expensive cricketer in the upcoming mini-auction of IPL on Thursday.

"I feel that Glenn Maxwell, yes, Glenn Maxwell, once again, will be the most expensive buy in this mini-auction. It might be mini for a lot of people, but it will be max for Maxwell," said Chopra.

Catch all the updates from the VIVO IPL 2021 Auction Live and exclusive on the Star Sports Network on Thursday, from 2 PM onwards.