As the IPL 2026 season heats up, former India opener Aakash Chopra has sounded a warning bell for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, zeroing in on the struggles of young Jacob Bethell. The Englishman, brought in as a replacement for the injured Phil Salt, has managed only brief cameos—scoring 14 off 10 balls and 20 off 11 in his last two outings. While those numbers show flashes of promise, Chopra believes they fall well short of what's expected in a high-stakes tournament like the IPL.

"Don't change the team combination, but the pressure is mounting on Jacob Bethell," Chopra said on his YouTube channel. "Not long ago, Alastair Cook was telling him to head back home if he wasn't getting game time. Now he's playing, but he's not scoring runs—just cameos. That's not good enough." The irony isn't lost on Chopra, who notes that Bethell's inability to convert starts is a growing concern for the RCB camp as they prepare for their crucial clash against Gujarat Titans on April 30.

Chopra also turned his attention to Romario Shepherd, questioning the all-rounder's role in the RCB setup. "They still don't know what Shepherd's role is," he observed. "He's expensive with the ball and rarely gets a chance to bat. It's like teams are playing with 11 men and still winning—it's incredible." The lack of clarity around Shepherd's contributions, Chopra argues, could become a liability as the tournament progresses.

Shifting focus to the Gujarat Titans, Chopra identified two key vulnerabilities that could define their upcoming match. The first is their over-reliance on the top order, with Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler shouldering the bulk of the scoring responsibility. "If those three don't fire, the middle order struggles to pick up the slack," Chopra noted. The second concern is their inability to accelerate in the death overs, a weakness that has cost them in tight finishes. "Scoring in the final overs has been a persistent issue," he added, "and against a team like RCB, that could be the difference between winning and losing."

With both teams looking to solidify their playoff positions, all eyes will be on how RCB addresses Bethell's form and Shepherd's role, while Gujarat works to balance their batting depth. For fans and fantasy players alike, these dynamics make the upcoming clash a must-watch.