3 reasons why RCB should not go after Mayank Agarwal in the IPL 2023 Auction
It was a disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign for Mayank Agarwal last season. The former Punjab Kings captain led the side after KL Rahul left the franchise. After a decent run where the team won half of their league games and finished sixth in the points table, the captain was unceremoniously let go ahead of the upcoming auction.
Mayank Agarwal scored 196 runs in 12 innings in 2022. He was shuffled up and down the order before being dropped from the team altogether. However, it's important to remember that he is a player who has scored 2327 runs at a strike rate of 134.28 in 113 matches.
There will certainly be plenty of potential suitors at the IPL 2023 Auction for a player of his caliber. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been suggested as potential buyers for the Karnataka batter, with the door open for his return to the franchise. Here, we take a look at three reasons why RCB should not sign Mayank Agarwal.
#1 RCB already have a stacked top/middle order
Royal Challengers Bangalore already have a stacked top order with Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, and Finn Allen in their ranks. With Indian options in Anuj Rawat and Rajat Patidar in place as well, the franchise might not be on the hunt for too many batting options.
Mayank is predominantly a top-order batter who can slot into the middle order as well. However, RCB already have enough options available for this position. The team might be better off trying to buy an all-rounder or an extra bowler.
#2 RCB might not have the purse for Mayank Agarwal
Only the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have a lower purse (₹7.05 crore) than RCB (₹8.75 crore). The two franchises might not have too many holes to plug in their sides, but will still want to make shrewd moves at the auction on Friday (December 23rd).
Mayank is registered in the auction at a base price of ₹1 crore. The 31-year-old is expected to be in demand as a captaincy and top-order option for a few other sides, so it is unlikely that RCB will have enough money budgeted for him given their limited purse.
#3 RCB needs to start investing in the future
With a core of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Dinesh Karthik, and Glenn Maxwell, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have a solid batting unit for the upcoming season. However, all the aforementioned players are over the age of 34 and might play only a couple more seasons in the cash-rich league.
The team management will want to plan for the long term rather than the medium to short term. Options like Anuj Rawat and Rajat Patidar could be the next big things in the making, so RCB need to start investing in the future rather than options like Mayank Agarwal.