IPL 2019: Best player in each department for RCB

Yet another electrifying season of the world's biggest T20 festival is approaching; IPL 2019 is scheduled to commence on March 23. The defending champions Chennai Super Kings will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the very first encounter of the season at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

RCB are one of the most unfortunate teams in the IPL as they have never conquered the tournament in spite of having a formidable squad every season. They have qualified for the final multiple times but never ended up winning the trophy.

Their team is looking well-equipped for the upcoming season. Hence, they will be desperate to get their hands on the IPL trophy for the first time this season.

Here, we take a look at the best players of RCB in each department, who can help them lift the trophy this time around.

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#4 Best fast bowler - Nathan Coulter-Nile

Nathan Coulter-Nile

This season, RCB have some good fast bowlers like Tim Southee, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj in their squad. But Coulter-Nile could prove to be the best of them all.

The extremely skillful Aussie is a great limited overs bowler. Apart from being a wicket-taking bowler, the pacer is also a brilliant fielder and a destructive lower-order batsman - making him a lethal T20 player.

Last year, Coulter-Nile was bought by RCB for INR 2.2 crore but was ruled out of the tournament owing to an injury. But this season, he is set to represent RCB the entire tournament.

Coulter-Nile's IPL numbers are quite impressive as he has taken 36 wickets from 26 matches at an excellent average of 19.97 and an impressive economy rate of 7.66, with 20/4 being his best figures.

The 31-year-old was in good form in the recently concluded BBL as he picked up 14 wickets from 13 matches at an average of 27.14 and a strike rate of 7.45, with 25/3 being his best figures.

It will be fascinating to see if the Aussie pacer can turn things around for RCB this season.

#3 Best spinner - Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal

The talented leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is one of the biggest finds of IPL. He has been a consistent performer since his debut in the league, and over the years he has become RCB's frontline spinner.

Last year, the wrist spinner had a mediocre tournament as he underperformed by his standards. He picked up 12 wickets from 14 matches in IPL 2018 at an average of 30.25 and economy rate of 7.26. He will surely want to do better this time around.

As far as Chahal's overall IPL stats are concerned, the 28-years-old has taken 82 wickets from 69 innings at an average of 23.56 and an economy rate 7.77, with 25/4 being his best figures.

Chahal has recently been doing very well for the Indian national team, combining brilliantly with Kuldeep Yadav. He will have to perform exceedingly well if RCB wants to win the IPL title this time around.

#2 Best batsman - Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli

RCB have always had a strong batting line-up, and this time too they have some great T20 batsmen in their squad.

But their skipper Virat Kohli will be their most important batsman among all. The modern master is arguably the best batsman of this generation and will be a key player for RCB at the top of the order.

King Kohli has fabulous IPL numbers as he has smashed 4948 runs from 155 innings in his at an average of 38.36 and a strike rate of 130.76, with 113 being his best. He has also slammed 34 fifties and 4 centuries; all 4 of his centuries came in IPL 2017, where he was in unbelievable form.

If RCB want to win IPL 2019 then Kohli will have to do something similar to what he had done in IPL 2017. It will be worth watching Kohli, in tandem with AB de Villiers and Co, will be able to break the jinx this year.

#1 Best all-rounder - Marcus Stoinis

Marcus Stoinis will be key for RCB with bat and ball in IPL 2019

RCB have some brilliant T20 all-rounders for the upcoming IPL edition. However, Marcus Stoinis is expected to be their most important all-rounder as he has been in tremendous form of late with both bat and ball.

In the recently concluded BBL, the Aussie all-rounder had a dream run. He slammed 533 runs from 13 innings at a tremendous average of 53.30 and a strike rate of 130.64 with 81 being his best. He also smashed 4 half-centuries.

With the ball, he picked up 14 wickets from 11 innings at a brilliant average of 16.14 and an economy rate of 8.37.

RCB will expect Stoinis to replicate the same in IPL 2019 as well. He will surely want to do well and help his team win the elusive trophy; he certainly has the talent to do so.