3 areas where RCB's IPL 2025 squad is better than IPL 2024
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)'s IPL 2025 team selection in the recent auction in Jeddah has divided the fanbase. While some feel the team is one of the best and the most balanced in the tournament, others vehemently disagree, pointing to some key weaknesses in both batting and bowling departments.
Overall, the team spent ₹82.25 crore on 19 players, eight of them overseas and the rest Indians. Apart from the three retained players and a couple of uncapped Indians, the team has been overhauled completely. It's now well and truly the new leaders, Andy Flower and Mo Bobat's team, and a reflection of their vision.
The duo can now have no excuses because fans will expect improvement from the last season, where it took a freakish winning streak and a lucky turn of events for them to qualify in the top four, only to lose the Eliminator. Below, we discuss three areas where RCB are clearly better from IPL 2024, at least on paper:
#3 Lesser big names + more evened-out middle-order
Last season, in the Eliminator against the Rajasthan Royals, only two middle-order overseas batters -- Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green -- cost RCB ₹28.5 crores. Both players not only had a poor game that night, but an underwhelming season.
Now, in 2025, they have evened things out. Within that price, they have signed Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Jacon Bethell, and Manoj Bhadange. That is excellent business for a group of first-team players as well as their backups, even considering the increased budget.
It helps in two ways: there's less pressure on just two big names to do most of the heavy lifting along with Virat Kohli and a bigger group can work together; plus the competition between players of similar skills could boost performances.
RCB's batting order won't look much deeper but definitely more robust, with international quality players manning the top-six. Moreover, half of those middle-order players can bowl, which would mean the effect of Maxwell and Green's departure on the bowling balance would be quite manageable.
#2 Younger opener, younger team overall
It might sound harsh but RCB have earned an upgrade over Faf du Plessis with England's Phil Salt. Du Plessis was superb for the franchise: he was a good captain and also put up three consistent batting seasons, scoring
However, du Plessis turned 40 this year and was far from his prime -- his runs came due to his sheer quality but RCB would have been foolish to rely on him for continuing that for three years until the next mega auction. Salt, 28, would be a more long-term option and bring more recent international experience.
Salt was also a better boundary-hitter than du Plessis last season and will give RCB a higher prowess against spin. The former Proteas skipper struck at 136.9 against left-arm spin, compared to Salt's 174.4, 119.1 against leg-break compared to Salt's 131 and 99.6 versus right-arm orthodox compared to Salt's 166.7.
This would mean oppositions would no longer be able to tie down RCB's openers with spin on both ends and the new opener would compliment Kohli better.
Moreover, Salt isn't the only one replacing a much older player in the team to reduce the average age and thus the longevity of the team. Jitesh, 31, coming in for Dinesh Karthik, 39 and Livingstone, 31, for Maxwell, 36, does that too.
#1 A very economical spinner who extends the batting lineup
Adding to the batting depth would be left-arm spin all-rounder Krunal Pandya. But that is not his major role. Krunal would be RCB's lead spinner in IPL 2025, a massive upgrade on Karn Sharma and Mayank Dagar, who were expensive throughout their stints, failing to measure up to the Chinnaswamy madness.
Krunal is an excellently economical left-arm spinner for grounds like the Chinnaswamy, where the ball doesn't turn much -- it shows in his economy rate of just 6.58 here. His pace variations, tight lines and guile against both left-handers and right-handers make him perfect for RCB this season.
He'd compliment his more wicket-taking spin partner Suyash Sharma and add to the swing (the ball does move in the air at the Chinnaswamy) run-stopping focussed pace attack of Rasikh Salam, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Yash Dayal. The RCB attack would look tangibly better in IPL 2025 because the team would be able to sustain more pressure and for longer terms.