3 holes RCB might struggle to fill at the IPL 2025 auction ft. Virat Kohli's spin-hitting opening partner
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had an interesting season in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). It was a campaign of two distinct halves that culminated in a loss to the Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator.
RCB were easily rolled over in the first half of the season, but they came back well to edge out the Chennai Super Kings to a spot in the playoffs. And interestingly, the three-time IPL finalists have retained only three players ahead of the upcoming auction.
Virat Kohli has been retained for ₹21 crore, with Rajat Patidar following him at ₹11 crore. Left-arm pacer Yash Dayal has also been secured for the uncapped retention slab of ₹4 crore. This means that Bengaluru will have plenty of shopping to do at the auction, and that might not be easy.
On that note, here are three holes RCB might struggle to fill at the IPL 2025 auction.
#3 RCB need to find a spin-hitting opening partner for Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli had a prolific campaign for RCB in IPL 2024 as he won the Orange Cap and maximized the powerplay consistently. But he wasn't at his destructive best against spin, despite trying to play more shots in the second half of the campaign.
If Bengaluru are to be at their best in the powerplay, which is statistically one of the most important phases of a T20 innings, they will need to prevent oppositions from peppering their openers with spin. To do that, RCB will need to find an opening partner for Kohli who can take on those matchups.
That might not be easy to do. The obvious names, such as Phil Salt, Quinton de Kock, Ishan Kishan, and Will Jacks, aren't the best hitters of spin. The likes of Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway are options, but those players are primed to be in high demand.
Spin-hitting openers are hard to come by, particularly among the Indian talent pool. RCB might not be able to find one at a reasonable price.
#2 How will RCB make up for Cameron Green's absence?
It's all but been confirmed that Cameron Green will miss IPL 2025 and therefore won't be a part of the auction. The fast-bowling all-rounder is undergoing a lengthy period of rehab after a serious back injury, forcing RCB to skip retaining his services.
Green played a big role for the team in IPL 2024. He hit pace well in a versatile role in the batting lineup, and his ability to hit the deck hard in the middle overs brought about several wickets for the franchise. The Aussie was also a reliable fielder.
Fast-bowling all-rounders are incredibly hard to come by. Marco Jansen, Sam Curran, Romario Shepherd, and a few other options are available, but almost all teams in the auction will need a player of that profile. Prices could soar through the roof, particularly with the likes of Ben Stokes not present in the pool.
Moreover, RCB need a style of fast-bowling all-rounder to suit the Chinnaswamy - someone who can get bounce in the middle overs while also being reliable enough to chance at other stages of the innings. That's easier said than done, given the available resources.
#1 A Chinnaswamy-friendly bowling attack
Dayal is the only bowler RCB have retained. Mohammed Siraj, who led the team's pace attack over the last few seasons, has been released into the auction pool.
Many teams, including the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Mumbai Indians, and the Chennai Super Kings, have retained their most important players. Options who can be trusted to bowl at the Chinnaswamy are limited in both departments.
This has been RCB's Achilles heel for several years now. While it seemed to change slightly in the last campaign, with the team emphasizing bowler recruitment, they could struggle to fill that void at the IPL 2025 auction once again.