3 reasons why Will Jacks is a fine addition to RCB for IPL 2023

England all-rounder Will Jacks was signed for ₹3.2 crores by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. The 24-year-old Surrey cricketer has shown a lot of potential in the format in other domestic T20 leagues.

Will Jacks' T20 record is highly impressive - he has scored 2802 runs in 102 innings at an average of 30 and a mind-boggling strike rate of 158 in a career spanning 109 matches. The off-spinner has also taken 26 wickets at a miserly economy rate of 7.25 in the 42 innings he has bowled.

Let's take a look at three reasons why he is a solid buy for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

#3 He has been in good form recently

Will Jacks has been in red-hot form in the newly commenced SA20 league. Playing for the Pretoria Capitals, he has scored 270 runs in seven innings at an average of 38.57 and a strike rate of 201.49 with 3 half-centuries to his name. He was also the leading run-getter of the tournament at the time of writing this article.

Jacks has been impressive with the ball too. He has taken three wickets in the three overs he has bowled so far. He got rid of his destructive English teammate Jos Buttler and South Africa's Dane Vilas in a single over, making the run-chase trickier for the Paarl Royals.

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#2 He is a versatile cricketer

Will Jacks has shown that he is ready to adapt as per the requirements of the team. Although he is primarily an opener, he can also bat in the middle order. In 17 innings as a non-opener, he has scored 360 runs in 17 innings at an average of 21 and a strike rate of 148.

With the ball, he has primarily bowled in the middle overs. However, he can chip in with an over or two in the Powerplay as well. His record in that phase is solid - seven wickets in 13.4 overs at an average of 12.7 and an economy rate of 6.5.

He is also a brilliant fielder. In recent times, he has showcased his worth in the SA20 league - holding on to difficult catches and being sharp with his ground fielding.

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#1 Good backup option for the likes of Maxwell & du Plessis

Glenn Maxwell has been extremely vital for the Bangalore-based franchise over the last couple of seasons. However, he suffered a freak leg injury which has ruled him out of cricket for the time being. If he takes some more time to recover.

Although Faf du Plessis is the captain of the team, he is 38 and far from his best days currently. RCB needs to plan for the future, and investing in a youngster like Jacks could pay off in the long run.

The all-rounder might get to start in the upcoming season if Maxwell is not fit on time. If he starts off well, it might reduce a lot of pressure on the star players in the franchise.