Royal Challengers Bangalore - Entertainment guaranteed

Virat Kohli

Authored by Ajay Suresh for ‘The Wicket Post’

So near, yet so far – the story of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.

To redeem themselves, they would be looking forward to defy all odds and make themselves seem as one of the lead contenders for this year’s Pepsi IPL. In many ways, they’ve been seen as an unpredictable yet uncanny team. Will they be breaking their title jinx with a win this season?

When someone talks about RCB, all that comes into their minds is the great batting potential they hold. With big names such as Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Yuvraj Singh and, most importantly, Christopher Henry Gayle, they’re sure to produce a blitzkrieg and make life uneasy for the opponent bowlers. The conditions in the UAE would favor RCB, as they host dry, flat tracks similar to those in the sub-continent. However, what’re the problems that their own bowlers will face?

With big names such as Vinay Kumar and Zaheer Khan being sold to Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians respectively in this year’s auction, their local pool of pace has certainly taken a beating. RCB fans could still breathe a little easier, though, as they’ve made a few good buys such as Varun Aaron and Sandeep Warrier. Warrier is a brilliant buy, considering the fact that he has good First-class record (35 wickets in 11, with an average of 28.7). Then again, they’ve got experience in the form of Ravi Rampaul, Muttiah Muralitharan and Albie Morkel, and, finally, some young stealth in the form of Mitchell Starc.

Despite all these options, RCB’s bowling line-up still remains a big question mark, as they’ve had a handful of instances where the bowling line-up has failed to capitalize on their batting performances. We’ve seen it happening twice against the Kings XI Punjab last IPL. Ashok Dinda would be looking forward to get a chance to prove himself right this season, considering the fact that his poor performances in the shortest format has been over-shading his growth.

Speaking of all-rounders, they have a clear match winner in Yuvraj, an excellent finisher in Albie, and, needless to say, Chris Gayle, who besides his big hitting abilities can chip with few overs of handy off-spin, as well. The question here is, was Yuvraj really worth 14 crores, given the fact that he is in a lean patch? Only time will tell. As a result of these ifs and buts, the issue of unpredictability comes again. As far as we’ve seen, RCB is the most unpredictable team.

Dynamism and elegance are two great qualities any leader must possess, and Kohli is one of those leaders. His juggernaut of getting runs hasn’t ever had a halt in the past year, and there’s no doubt about him looking very threatening at the crease. He is one of the best batsmen on earth today, and his mercurial growth and rise through ranks is something all opponents have been looking out for. Many would talk ill about his aggression, but there are still many who feel that it’s a plus point for him. Touted to be the next Indian Skipper, the former Under-19 world champion is someone everyone would set their eyes on.

Overall, one could definitely expect a lot of fireworks from this team. However, their vulnerability lies in their bowling department. RCB should make maximum use of the flat and dry tracks in the UAE and also derive maximum from the local pool of talent. They should be wary of their arch-rivals Mumbai Indians, though, against whom they don’t have a good track record. Let’s hope for the best from Kohli and Co!