"It's not that everything is in the top 3" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's strengths ahead of IPL 2025

Former India player Aakash Chopra has picked the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) batting lineup as their biggest strength ahead of IPL 2025. He pointed out that the Bengaluru-based franchise is not overly dependent on its top order in the batting department.

RCB retained two top-order batters, Virat Kohli (₹21 crore) and Rajat Patidar (₹11 crore), ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. Liam Livingstone (₹8.75 crore), Phil Salt (₹11.50 crore), Jitesh Sharma (₹11 crore), Tim David (₹3 crore), Jacob Bethell (₹2.60 crore) and Devdutt Padikkal (₹2 crore) were the prominent batters they bought at the mega auction last November.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener opined that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have assembled a formidable batting unit.

"They have once again assembled a good batting lineup if you consider pedigree and explosive ability. They didn't use to have too much difficulty in batting and won't have it now either. However, it's not that everything is in the top three," he said (3:15).

Chopra noted that RCB have tried to ensure batting depth for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League.

"We have seen many times that there is a lot in the top three and nothing after that. It has been their problem repeatedly but it doesn't seem to be the case this time. Virat Kohli with Phil Salt, then you have got Rajat Patidar, there might be a place for Devdutt Padikkal, and then you have Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma and Tim David," he observed.

"They have intentionally tried to have a little bit of depth. The cream is at the top, but they have tried not to have a top-dependent batting lineup. So I consider it a strength. It is important that they shouldn't be a one-man team. It is important that they shouldn't be dependent on the top three. Looking at this team, you can say that they are not overly dependent on the top three this year," the analyst added.

Apart from the aforementioned frontline batters, RCB have a few all-rounders who can wield the willow effectively. The likes of Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Romario Shepherd and Manoj Bhandage would provide batting depth if included in the XI.

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"They have variety in the pace department" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's other strength heading into IPL 2025

RCB retained Yash Dayal (₹5 crore) ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. [P/C: iplt20.com]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra chose the variety in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's seam-bowling department as their other strength heading into IPL 2025.

"Secondly, they have variety in the pace department. They have Josh Hazlewood's class, then they have picked Bhuvneshwar Kumar, they have another bowler in the form of Yash Dayal, they have made Lungi Ngidi a part of their team, and a round-arm bowler in the form of Nuwan Thushara," he said (4:15).

The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player reckoned that RCB have a better pace attack this season.

"So they they have kept different kinds of bowlers in their pace-bowling department. We shall count that as a strength. You expect one or the other would work. So it seems like there has been a slight upgrade," Chopra observed.

Josh Hazlewood (₹12.50 crore) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (₹10.75 crore) were RCB's most expensive seam-bowling picks at the IPL 2025 auction. Rasikh Dar (₹6 crore), Romario Shepherd (₹1.50 crore), Nuwan Thushara (₹1.60 crore) and Lungi Ngidi (₹1 crore) were some of the other prominent pacers acquired by the three-time finalists.