Royal Challengers Bangalore will probably be eager, and even determined, to win their first trophy in IPL 2021. Having been round since 2008, they’ve come shut fairly a couple of events however have by no means been ready to lay fingers on the cup. In 2020 too, that they had a terrific begin however misplaced momentum within the second half to ultimately end fourth. Can Virat Kohli and boys go the space this 12 months?
RCB have a properly balanced squad with expertise and youth in loads. Here’s a have a look at some key gamers who may very well be sport changers for RCB.
Virat Kohli: The captain himself. He has been underneath strain to win the trophy, particularly after the 2020 season. There have been questions over his place as captain of the Indian T20I squad, however not any longer after sequence wins in Australia and India towards England. Yet, solely an IPL win will fulfill the RCB followers. Will this be the 12 months?
Kohli sounded a warning to IPL groups on the finish of the T20I sequence towards England, saying he’ll open the batting within the IPL too. Kohli needs to preserve all choices open forward of th T20 World Cup later this 12 months, and this may simply be the transfer that does the trick for RCB. The final time he batted usually as an opener for RCB, he scored greater than 900 runs within the season (2016)!
Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal was in distinctive contact throughout the 2021 Vijay Hazare Trophy amassing 737 runs in simply 7 innings at a median of 147.4 and strike fee of 95.96 together with a file 4 tons of on the trot. He was additionally in great kind within the earlier version of the IPL within the UAE outscoring each AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli to finish as the best run-getter for RCB within the season. Another fantastic season for the RCB and Padikkal may very well be in that World T20 squad for India come October.
Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell failed to hit a six in IPL 2020. He made solely 108 runs from 13 matches. Yet, he went for Rs 14.25 crore on the public sale! That’s the aura of Glenn Maxwell, and the potential energy he gives on the center order. That’s the explanation RCB have given him the cash they’ve.
RCB would have additionally hoped for matches in Bangalore to make most use of Maxwell, however that isn’t to be. RCB, although, are taking part in 5 matches on the trot in Kolkata in the direction of the tip, the place Maxwell will probably be invaluable. Maxwell and AB de Villiers within the center order will not be what bowlers need to be bowling to!
Kyle Jamieson: RCB dropped Chris Morris and obtained Kyle Jamieson for Rs 15 crore. Since then, he has struggled within the T20Is in New Zealand, notably bowling within the dying overs. Will RCB be nervous? Unlikely, for Jamieson gives tempo and decrease order hitting potential.
“He’s a smart enough cricketer, surrounded by good people, and he’ll come out of the other side. When you look at a player, you don’t look at a player just over a very short period of time. You look at the characteristics that he’s got. He’s got some good fighting qualities. He struggled, he didn’t find his lengths, he looked like he lost his run-up. We know he’s a very good player and although we would like him to be performing better, we’re not too worried just yet,” Mike Hesson advised Sky Sports NZ not too long ago.
Washington Sundar: He has at all times flown underneath the radar regardless of his economical bowling, however that’s slowly altering. Washington has develop into a family title in India after his heroics in Australia, the win in Gabba marking an amazing debut. He carried that kind to the Test sequence at house towards England, the place he as soon as once more confirmed great promise with impactful knocks.
Washington will now take the position of a senior participant within the RCB arrange, each with bat and ball.
