EffigyBeginning:IPLT20.COMBalancedornot?RejuvenatedRCBaimtoovercometheghostsofpastinIPL2020
“Tobehonest,that2016seasonwhichwealllovedtobeapartof,sincethenthisisthemostbalancedIhavefeltaboutthesquad,asasystemastowhereweareheading.It’sbeenverywelltakencareofnow.It’suptoustoexecuteonthefield.”RCBcaptainViratKohlisaidrecentlyonfranchise’sYouTubechannel.
ViratKohlihasastrongbeliefinhisteamfortheupcomingeditionofIndianPremierLeagueinUAEbutisthecurrentRCBteambalancedenoughtoreplicatethesuccessof2016edition,whereitreachedthefinal?The2016RCBteamhadthelikesofChrisGayle,KLRahulandShaneWatsontosupportKohliandABdeVilliers,butthereareseriousdoubtsoverAaronFinchandMoeenAlitodothesame,lookingattheirpastrecord.
Outofthelastthreeseasons,theBangalorefranchisehasfinishedatthebottomofthepointstabletwice(2017and2019).TheteamwasdependantontheindividualbrillianceofcaptainKohliandABdeVilliers,whichcostthemtheirchancesinbiggames.ThebowlingdepartmenthasbeentheweakestlinkintheRCBsidefromthepastcoupleofseasons.IndianpacerslikeUmeshYadavandMohammedSirajdidn’tliveuptoKohli’sexpectationsandwentformanyinthedeathovers,despitethecaptain’sbacking.LastseasonSirajpickedonly7wicketsin9gamesandsplashedrunattheeconomyrateof9.55.WhileseniorpacemanYadavwasnotfarbehindinleakingrunswith9.80economyandonly8wicketsin11matches.
For2020season,RCBdecidedtorejuvenatetheteamafterpartingwayswithheadcoachGaryKirstenandbowlingcoachAshishNehra.TheViratKohlisidehashiredformerNewZealandcoachMikeHessonasthedirectorofoperationsandSimonKatichastheheadcoachtorevamptheteam.
EffigyBeginning:IPLT20.COMFileimageofRCBcaptainViratKohli(left)andMohammedSiraj(right)
Inthe2020IPLauction,RCBdecidedtoboughtoverseaspacerstobacktheIndians’inthelikesofChrisMorris,DaleSteynandIsuruUdana.ThelankyProteasMorriswasropedinforwhoppingINR10crore,whichonceagainputscannersonRCB’sstrategyintheauction.Inthe2019editionwithDelhiCapitals,Morrisgaveaplethoraofrunsat9.27economy.While,37-year-oldDaleSteynplayedonly2gameslastseasonwhenhewascalledasareplacementforNathanCoulterNilebyRCB,butafteracoupleofgames,theProteashimselfpickedaninjury.WithSteyn,RCBcanlookhimasamentoroftheteamasheisnotexpectedtoplaymanygamesforthemthisseason,lookingathisinjury-pronelastcoupleofyears.UdanaisanexcitingadditiontoRCB’spaceline-upashehasimpressedmanywithhispaceininternationalcricketbuthisno-experienceinIPLmightputhimsecondafterMorrisontheprioritylist.
Thebattingdepartment,whichwasdependentonKohliandDeVilliers,getsanadditioninAustraliacaptainAaronFinch,whowasboughtforINR4.4crore.Finch,whoistoutedasoneofthehardesthittersoftheball,hasbeenadisappointmentinIPL.Hewaslastpartofthecash-richleaguein2018,wherehemanagedtoscoreonly134runsin10games.HemightbetheturnintothebiggestgambleforRCBthisseason,ashisinclusionwillsurelyeasepressurefromKohliandABD’sshoulders,butifhefailedtoadapttotheslowtracksofUAE,thentheghostsofpreviousseasonswillbeallsettohauntthemagain.ThefinishersrolealsogoingtobeonecrucialaspectwheretheBangaloreteamislackingaspecialist.MoeenAliistoutedtoplaythefinisher’sroleafteradecentlastseason,wherehescored220runsatastrikerateof165.41.Meanwhile,KohliandABDhaveplayedtheanchorrolefortheteamastheyexplodebigthelastfouroversoftheinnings.Thisseason,Alihastotakesomeresponsibilityoffinishingtheinningsthereleasethepressurefromtheduo,sothattheycanplaymorenaturalcricket.
ThespinbowlingdepartmentistheonlybalancedthingintheRCBsquadthisseasonwithYuzvendraChahalleadingthecharge.TheViratKohli-ledsidehasavarietyofspinnerinWashingtonSundar,PawanNegi,MoeenAli,AdamZampaandChahalhimself.TheslowtracksofUAE,mightworkinRCB’sfavourwiththevarietyofspinnerstheyhave.
ThedynamicRCBduoKohliandABDarehungrytowintheIPLtitle,butitwillbeanuphilltaskforthemtolifttheteamontheirshouldersonceagain.
