IPL 2019: Analyzing the best playing XI for RCB

All-rounders: Shivam Dube, Colin de Grandhomme and Gurkeerat Singh Mann

Picking the young left-hander Shivam Dube for 5 crore marked a shift in strategy for RCB in the auctions. The Mumbai all-rounder has impressed everyone in his short first-class career with both ball and bat, and will be looking to fill the Indian all-rounder slot in RCB.

Dube has played only 15 T20s till now, where he has scored 202 runs and scalped 14 wickets. If nurtured well, he can become a long-term prospect for RCB and the Indian national team.

An explosive all-rounder from New Zealand, Colin de Grandhomme was added to the RCB squad last year and he will be looking to have an impactful IPL this year. With a strike rate of 146 in the IPL, he can provide firepower to the team in the late overs and can be a handy medium pacer in the middle overs.

Gurkeerat Singh Mann

Gurkeerat Singh Mann, the right-handed all-rounder from Punjab, has played 3 ODIs for India and will be keen to make a comeback to the national team.

Being an off-spinner, Mann can provide variety to RCB's bowling line-up and can make it into the squad ahead of Pawan Negi. It will be interesting to see how Kohli uses Mann in the squad full of all-rounders.

The middle order has been RCB's problem in every edition of the IPL, and lacks finishers like Andre Russell or MS Dhoni. The team management has to show faith in young Indian players like Shivam Dube and Gurkeerat Singh Mann and back them up for a longer period of time in order to fix this problem.

There is enough flexibility in the team owing to these three all-rounders. As the tournament progresses, Kohli can replace any of them for an extra batsman like Shimron Hetmyer.