Shattered Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) team will expect a fresh start this time despite a good start in the UAE last time. Despite the presence of many top players, RCB still crave their first title. The team also has a legendary batsman like Virat Kohli as captain AB de Villiers, but the team relied excessively on both of them and in such a situation the balance could never be established. Now there seems to be some balance due to the joining of players like Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson.
10 players out before auction
RCB had started well, but eventually their rhythm was disturbed and they were out in the Eliminator after losing five consecutive matches. This time the team management has focused on strengthening their batting and bowling by ‘releasing’ 10 players before the auction. RCB’s batting looks very strong. Run Machine Kohli has a great record in IPL.
Virat will open this time
Kohli has already made it clear that he will start the innings, he will be accompanied by Devadatta Paddikkal at the other end, who performed brilliantly in the last season and is still in excellent form. Top-order young wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Azharuddin and New Zealand’s Fin Allen are capable of scoring fast runs while experienced players like de Villiers and Maxwell will handle the middle order. Sachin Baby, Daniel Christian and Washington Sundar strengthen their batting.
RCB’s strong spinner bowling
The team has to play most of its matches on Chennai and Ahmedabad spinners for wickets and Yuzvendra Chahal, who has always been successful in the IPL, will be the trump card. Washington Sundar can again take responsibility for the last time in the Powerplay. Maxwell is a good option in the spin department while Adam Jampa can be included in the playing XI if needed.
Pace attack weak
Despite Jamieson joining the team, RCB’s fast bowler department seems weak. Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj have little experience of bowling with the white ball and often score runs. Jamieson has also struggled in T20s and does not have experience of playing in India. In the fast bowling department, Harshal Patel and Australian trio Christian, Daniel Samms and Kane Richardson are the other options. In such a situation RCB batsmen will have to bear more responsibility. He has ‘big hitters’ like De Villiers and Maxwell.
RCB’s team is as follows
Virat Kohli (Captain), AB de Villiers, Devadatta Padikkal, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammad Siraj, Kane Richardson, Washington Sundar, Pawan Deshpande, Finn Allen, Shahbaz Ahmed, Navdeep Saini, Adam Jampa, Kyle Jamieson, Glenn Maxwell, Rajat Patidar, Sachin Baby , Mohammad Azharuddin, Daniel Christian, KS Bharata, Suyesh Prabhudesai, Daniel Symes, Harshal Patel