RCB players 2022: With Virat Kohli deciding to step down as franchise’s skipper, RCB think-tank have a lot to ponder upon during the auction.
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Ahead of the upcoming mega auction for the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is one of the three teams which has not yet named their captain for the imminent season.
With Virat Kohli deciding to step down from the post after yet another failed attempt at the silverware the previous year, it remains to be seen who they name as their new skipper after as many as eight years.
Glenn Maxwell, who was retained alongside Kohli and Mohammed Siraj, is perhaps likely to be given the responsibility. Having said that, the management might as well not wish to burden him with the extra responsibility and let him play freely as he successfully did under Kohli in the previous season.
As far as the rest of the squad is concerned, RCB is expected to rope in maximum of quality Indian talent, rather than spending heavily on the big Overseas guns, only to drop/release them after a few poor outings.
RCB players 2022: 5 players RCB might look to target in the auction
Devdutt Padikkal
One of the very few good things that have happened to the RCB in the previous two seasons in the inclusion of Devdutt Padikkal in the squad.
The 21-year-old had been instrumental in the franchise’s journey to the playoff the previous season. He ended up as RCB’s second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2021 with a total of 411 runs across 14 innings at an average of 31.61, and was fittingly awarded the ‘Emerging player of the year’ award post the season end.
Given that he had scored all these runs batting right at the top, it would be a shame if RCB let go a tried and tested opening batter option at the auction table.
KS Bharat
Brought at a base price of INR 20 Lakh during the IPL 2021 auction by the RCB, KS Bharat, alongside Padikkal had been a blessing for the team the previous season.
Despite having batted in mere 7 innings for them in the previous season, his 191 runs at an average of 38.20, including a 52-ball 78* against the table toppers Delhi Capitals, helped him garner plenty eyeballs despite limited opportunities.
Additionally, with majority of franchises looking for a wicket-keeping option or two in their squad, this 28-year-old wicketkeeper from Andhra Pradesh has it all for the RCB to look nowhere else in the wicketkeepers’ bracket.
Shreyas Iyer
The one name that is doing the buzz across the social media platforms pertaining the upcoming mega auction is Mumbai and team India middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer.
If the RCB think-tank are hesitant in appointing an Overseas player as the skipper of the team, this bankable middle-order batter has it all to lead the franchise to their maiden IPL title.
His record off-late in the league says it all. Iyer led the Delhi Capitals into the playoffs during the 2019 season, and backed it up with a maiden IPL final appearance for the franchise a year later.
Despite having missed the first leg of the tournament in IPL 2021, the 27-year-old ended as Delhi’s 5th highest run-scorer with 175 runs across 8 innings, at an average of 35.00.
Mitchell Marsh
RCB has been one of the very few teams who have just not been able to have the desired return on investment when it comes to Overseas players in the squad. While the likes of AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle are an exception, the franchise has had the tendency to invest on the hyped foreign players (sometimes overspending on them as well) without caring for the fact that it might affect the team’s combination.
An answer to all the woes, especially in the absence of the legendary AB de Villiers, might perhaps be Mitchell Marsh, who is going through a decent purple patch off-late in the T20 format.
He scored 185 runs at an average of 61.66 and a strike rate of 146.82 in the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE, which also included the tournament winning knock of 77 off 50 deliveries in the night of the final against New Zealand.
Post that, he ended up as the Perth Scorchers’ highest run-scorer in the recently concluded Big Bash League (BBL), with 347 runs across 8 innings, at an average of 57.83, thereby leading his side to a record 4 titles in the league.
Yuzvendra Chahal
Despite ending as RCB’s second-highest wicket-taker in the previous season, the franchise deciding not to retain Yuzvendra Chahal ahead of the upcoming auction came in as a surprise for many RCB fans.
As per reports, the leg-spinner wanted a hefty amount for retention which the RCB perhaps could not afford. But, as per the recent interactions between him and the franchise on social media platforms, the latter will in all probability rope Chahal back into the squad, given his consistent performances for the franchise so far- a rarity for them in the bowling department.
The 31-year-old has featured in a total of 112 innings for the RCB, picking up 139 wickets at an average of 22.2.
