With India skipper Virat Kohli at the helm, Royal Challengers Bangalore were set to be the toast of the upcoming Indian Premier League season. After losing three finals, RCB would have hoped for better luck this year. However, injuries to the 28-year-old and a few other crucial players in the squad has made their bid for a maiden title all the more difficult.
While star batsman and skipper Kohli will miss out on at least the initial few weeks, his India teammate KL Rahul will have to sit out the entirety of the season through a shoulder injury. AB de Villiers, who was next in line after Kohli to lead the side, will miss the opener with a back problem. Australia pacer Mitchell Starc was the first player from the star-studded squad to opt out of the tournament to undergo rehabilitation for a foot injury that has troubled him over the past season. Youngster Sarfaraz Khan was the latest to join the casualty list after injuring his leg in practice on Monday.
Despite the notable absentees, the Bangalore outfit will hope to hit the floor running, with the likes of Shane Watson and Chris Gayle fit and raring to go. With India regular Kedar Jadhav also in the mix, RCB are not short of firepower by any standards. RCB will also hope Englishman Tymal Mills, whose Rs 12-crore price tag in the auction caught everyone by surprise, will make good on his promise and step up in Starc’s absence.
If the team holds up by the time Kohli returns to action, RCB might still reach a position where they can vie for the elusive IPL crown. Will they be 10th-time lucky?
Old Faces
Virat Kohli: The India skipper has won nearly everything he has led his side in the past year. In the cash-rich league, though, silverware has proved elusive. He came close to the title last season, only to falter at the last hurdle. Leading his side to their maiden title in the landmark 10th season would cap off a brilliant run for the 28-year-old. With the bat, Kohli comes into the IPL on back of a quiet Test series against Australia. He was IPL’s top run-getter last season and will back himself to get back among the runs, once fit.
Shane Watson: Ironically, it will be an Australian who will lead the RCB outfit, at least for a few games until Kohli is fit enough to take charge. Watson himself missed a part of the Big Bash League through injury, where his side finished last. In the Pakistan Super League, which followed the Big Bash, his team – Islamabad United – did far better, but the all-rounder did not set the stage on fire, scalping 17 wickets and scoring 275 runs in 15 games. With added responsibility coming his way, Watson will have his task cut out.
AB de Villiers: The South African is available only for the group stages, and will travel to England for South Africa’s three-match ODI series against Eoin Morgan’s men ahead of the Champions Trophy. His impact for RCB has been telling over the years. The all-round stroke-play and ability to shoot up the run-rate make him a devastating T20 batsman. Once fit, RCB will want him to show-off his whole range.
Chris Gayle: The Jamaican is just 63 runs shy of becoming the first batsman to reach the 10,000-run milestone in Twenty20 cricket. Gayle had a relatively quiet Pakistan Super League, which saw him score 160 runs in nine games at an average of 17.77. KL Rahul had edged him out as the preferred opener alongside Kohli last season. However, with both Kohli and Rahul injured, RCB will look towards Gayle to provide the explosive starts.
New Faces
Kedar Jadhav: The middle-order batsman, who played for Delhi Daredevils last season, has created a penchant for stepping up when his team needs him the most. His memorable 76-ball knock of 120 from the No 6 slot that saw India chase down England’s total of 351 in January only cemented his position in the ODI side. With many of RCB’s main batsmen on the mend, Jadhav will be key if they are to go distance in the tournament.
Aniket Choudhary: The lanky Rajasthan pacer drew attention after being called up to help India’s batsmen prepare ahead of Australia’s visit earlier this year. After a poor outing by the bowlers last season, RCB made a concerted effort to shore up their bowling department during the auction, and Choudhary was an integral part of that plan. Expectations will be high from the 27-year-old.
Pawan Negi: Since bagging a Rs 8.5-crore bid from Delhi Daredevils in 2016, the all-rounder’s career has not gone according to plan. The bid that followed a day after a call-up to India’s side for the World Twenty20 did not amount to much. His stint at RCB provides a second chance for the all-rounder to live up to the hype created a year ago.
Tymal Mills: After overcoming a congenital back problem, Tymal Mills made a dramatic entry into England’s international T20 side. Known for his breakaway pace, the Englishman has emerged as one of the most effective T20 pacers in the past year. Having paid Rs 12 crore for him at the auction, RCB will be banking on Mills to deliver the goods especially with Starc absent.
Strengths
RCB will rely heavily on their star overseas players. With Mills likely to join De Villiers, Watson and Gayle in the playing XI, the foreign brigade will form the crux of this side. Kohli, once fit, should make the batting line-up formidable.
Weaknesses
The bowling department like last year remains the team’s weakest link. With Starc missing, it is likely to put added pressure on the domestic crop, which failed to make an impact last season. With Choudhary and Negi joining the RCB ranks this year, a better showing will be expected from the bowling department.
Prediction
Despite the casualties, RCB has the firepower to reach the Qualifiers.
X-factor
Virat Kohli. Despite the injury, the maverick leader is likely to set the tone for his team. Once fit, the 28-year-old can turn any game for his side.
Full Squad
Virat Kohli (captain), AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Kedar Jadhav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Samuel Badree, Iqbal Abdulla, Travis Head, Sachin Baby, Avesh Khan, Tabraiz Shamsi, Pawan Negi, Tymal Mills, Aniket Choudhary, Praveen Dubey, Billy Stanlake, Harshal Patel, Mandeep Singh, Adam Milne, Sarfaraz Khan, S Aravind.
Head Coach: Daniel Vettori
Assistant Coach: Bharat Arun
Batting and Fielding Coach: Trent Woodhill
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