Probable XI for Royal Challengers Bangalore

The Bengaluru franchise will be hoping to finally break their duck and lift the IPL trophy for the very first time. After a much better auction as compared to previous years, RCB fans will be hopeful that this will finally be their year.

For a team that boasted the likes of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and the great AB de Villers, it is safe to say that Royal Challengers Bangalore have massively under performed over the last ten editions of the IPL.

During the last decade, RCB possessed some of the very best players in the game including the likes of Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Yuvraj Singh, Kevin Pietersen, Mitchell Starc and Shane Watson in addition to the holy trinity of Kohli, Gayle and ABD.

They made two big acquisitions in the auction, when they bought Kiwi veteran Brendon McCullum and South African wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock for heavy sums.

RCB beefed up their bowling department, as they brought in Umesh Yadav, Pawan Negi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar to form a quality Indian bowling attack.

Royal Challengers Bangalore invested heavily in foreign all-rounders, as bought accomplished stars in Chris Woakes, Colin de Grandhomme and Moeen Ali. With just an Indian wicket-keeper missing in their squad, RCB went back for Parthiv Patel as they bought the experienced star for Rs 1.7 crores.

While this RCB squad has a better balance as compared to previous years, the Bangalore franchise will look to Kohli and De Villiers to take this team to another level.

Balance will be the key in this side, as we look at a couple of combinations that RCB can go for this season.

Virat Kohli, ABD, Umesh, Chahal and Sundar will be the main stays around which the team will be formed.

Now let’s look at one possible team with Quinton de Kock in the side.

McCullum

QDK

Kohli (c)

ABD

Woakes

Mandeep

Sarfaraz

Washington Sundar

Yuzvendra Chahal

Umesh Yadav

Siraj

Analysis:

McCullum and de Kock as the openers will give RCB a very explosive opening duo with Kohli and de Villiers to follow them. Mandeep, Sarfaraz and Woakes will complete the middle order, as the trio can provide the big hits late in the innings.

The spin duo of Chahal and Sundar will be expected to take wickets, as it will  be difficult to curb runs in the free scoring Chinnaswamy stadium.

Umesh and Siraj will be the pacers in the side, as the Indian duo will be looking to make early inroads in the opposition.

This will be a top heavy side, but will be slightly short in the bowling department.

Now with Parthiv Patel in the side:

McCullum

Patel

Kohli

ABD

Woakes/CdG

Cdg/Ali

Mandeep

Sarfaraz

Washington Sundar

Yuzvendra Chahal

Umesh Yadav

Analysis

McCullum and Patel will open the innings, with Kohli and de Villiers to follow. While this side does not have the explosive de Kock, in Woakes and CdG they will have much more balance in the side.

The bowling remains the same with just Siraj missing out for one of CdG or Ali.

This provides much more balance in the side, as two of Woakes, CdG or Ali will provide batting as well as bowling stability.