IPL 2018: Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB) SWOT analysis

The three-time finalists(2009, 2011 and 2016) will once again be led by the charismatic Virat Kohli

Opportunity

Will the 2018 IPL be his first major tournament win as a captain?

Win their first ever IPL

If points earned during the group stages of the first 10 editions of Indian Premier League are totalled, RCB find themselves in the fourth position on the list, ahead of former champions Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. However, when it comes to crossing the final hurdle, they have always found themselves on the wrong end.

The Bangalore-based franchise have made five appearances in the playoff stages so far, progressing to the final on three of those instances. The end result, however, has always been the same.

This season, though, with a revamped squad and a spirited captain who has gained reasonable experience as the leader of the Indian national team, RCB might just go all the way and win their first IPL.

About the author

Sankalp is a veteran European and international football writer at Sportskeeda. He has a total experience of 8 years, having previously worked for some top companies such as Wisden India and Fox Sports Asia. An engineer by qualification, Sankalp places a very high emphasis on accuracy by leaving no stone unturned in his research, and prides himself on showcasing the human aspect of the sporting world.

Sankalp has had the privilege of interviewing senior Indian cricketers such as Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Chris Woakes in his experience so far. He has also covered various Indian and international matches, such as the 2019 ICC ODI World Cup when working for FOX.

Sankalp started following football after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup with his family. He is a die-hard Manchester United supporter, who started following the club due to David Beckham. His favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and favorite player is Lionel Messi, both for setting unattainable benchmarks. He considers Barcelona’s incredible 6-1 second leg comeback win in the 2016-17 UCL against Paris Saint-Germain as one of the most iconic matches ever.

Along with European football, Sankalp also follows the Indian Super League. When not writing, Sankalp enjoys traveling and watching sports.

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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava