IPL 2024 - 3 Things That Could Go Right For RCB

Virat Kohli will be a key part for the RCB campaign [X]

After making it to the playoffs thrice in a row during IPL 2020-22, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) failed to qualify for playoffs in the previous season. They revamped their support staff by replacing Mike Hesson & Sanjay Bangar with Mo Bobat and Andy Flower. 

RCB did some good work under Hesson’s  leadership and would hope to go even a step further under Bobat and Flower. Here we take a look at three things that can help RCB in the upcoming IPL season.

High upside of Faf, Kohli & Maxwell

Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell will be key to RCB-batters [X]

On their day, the ceiling of RCB’s star-studded batting unit is very high on good batting surfaces. The veteran trio of Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell can notch up big scores and do the heavy lifting. 

Captain Faf du Plessis was absolutely sensational last season: great consistency with a pretty good scoring rate. Faf increased his strike rate to 153.68 in IPL 2023 which was below 130 in 2022. His powerplay strike rate skyrocketed to 168.54 from 104.68. Kohli also had a good run in IPL 2023, after a few quiet seasons during 2020-22.

While donning the ‘Playbold’ jersey, Maxwell has changed his fortunes in the IPL, accumulating 300+ runs in all three seasons since 2021. The Aussie has played a crucial role by hitting the spinners as evidenced by his strike rate of 167.2 while also managing a decent runs-per-dismissal ratio of above 33. 

Glenn Maxwell's team-wide batting record in IPL [OneCricket]

Less Reliance on Experienced Batting Trio

Rajat Patidar missed the previous IPL season, and his return will boost RCB’s line-up. Also, the team management would hope that their attempt to take off the burden from the KGF trio by trading Cameron Green in pays off. Green is a talented hitter, and he produced pretty good returns — 452 runs at 50.2AVG & 160.1 SR — in his debut IPL season, although as a top-order batter.

RCB also have Will Jacks in their squad, who can smash the ball for long distances and is in good form. Should Dinesh Karthik be in good form, RCB’s batting unit seems fairly settled and promising. If Mahipal Lomror can do some spin-hitting. RCB will have more facets covered. Suyash Prabhu Desai can also be roped in as an impact player if needed.

Fiery pace attack

Mohammed Siraj will be an important part of the RCB pace attack [X]

RCB have an exciting pace attack in their ranks, although not a very trustworthy one. After releasing Josh Hazlewood & Harshal Patel, RCB acquired Alzarri Joseph & Lockie Ferguson to join the Indian duo of Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep.

Although Alzarri’s price (11.5 Cr INR) is much higher than that of Ferguson (2 Cr), there is a real possibility of the latter getting a nod ahead of the former. Since his return to cricket this year, the Kiwi pacer has scalped 15 wickets at 11.86 runs apiece with an economy of under 6 RPO. 

Even though Ferguson’s IPL performance in the last two seasons hasn’t been very great: 40 AVG & 9.45 ECO, the same goes for Alzarri: 34.9 AVG & 9.05 RPO. Also, Ferguson seems a safer bet; ultimately it will boil to their impressions in the nets and the instincts of the team management.

Siraj and Akash can form a good new-ball pair, supported by an overseas pacer in the middle overs. The death-bowling will remain an issue. However, if the pacers do their job in the first 16 overs, it can make their life easier in the slog overs. With two bouncers being allowed in an over from this season, RCB’s pace attack can utilize it to their advantage.