"The top 5 or 6 are as good as you can have" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's strengths heading into IPL 2024

Aakash Chopra reckons the Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) batting is one of their strengths heading into IPL 2024.

The Bengaluru-based franchise was overly reliant on Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell in the batting department in IPL 2023. However, Cameron Green's acquisition ahead of the IPL 2024 auction and Rajat Patidar's availability this year have bolstered their batting.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked the Royal Challengers Bangalore's top five or six batters as their biggest positives ahead of IPL 2024.

"Look at their batting. You will have Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli at the start. Then comes Cameron Green followed by either Glenn Maxwell or Rajat Patidar - these five gun batters. If you feel Rajat Patidar wasn't in form in Tests, it doesn't matter, whoever reaches the Chinnaswamy regains his form," he said (6:25).

"This team also has Will Jacks among the backups. So they have a lot of options. The top five or six are as good as you can have. Faf and Kohli were very consistent last year and Maxi has also become consistent now. He is a very good player and Cameron Green is gun," the former India opener added.

Du Plessis (730) and Kohli (639) formed a prolific opening pair for RCB in IPL 2023. Maxwell, who smashed 400 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 183.48 in 14 innings, was their only other player to cross the 150-run mark last season.

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"They have got a very decent pace-bowling department" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's other strength

Mohammed Siraj was RCB's highest wicket-taker in IPL 2023. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra chose the Royal Challengers Bangalore's seam-bowling riches as another of their strengths.

"They have got a very decent pace-bowling department. They have Akash Deep, Lockie Ferguson, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Yash Dayal. It's a long list," he observed (7:30).

The cricketer-turned-commentator concluded by reiterating that batting and fast bowling are RCB's plus points heading into the season.

"Someone was saying that Topley's availability is 50-50 but they have a strong fast-bowling gang. They do have a band of fast bowlers. So good fast bowling and excellent batting - I would say you will have to agree that these are this team's strengths," Chopra stated.

Among the retained players, Mohammed Siraj (19) and Vyshak Vijaykumar (9) were RCB's most successful seamers last year. The three-time finalists will hope that Reece Topley, who could play only one game last season, is fit and available throughout IPL 2024.