3 top players who might have to be released by RCB ahead of IPL 2025 ft. Glenn Maxwell
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are gearing up for another auction cycle in the Indian Premier League (IPL). They have been among the more consistent franchises in recent times but a trophy has continued to elude them. In the last edition of the league, the three-time finalists fell short in the Eliminator.
The upcoming mega auction will bring forth a host of possibilities for Bengaluru, especially with the retention slab prices encouraging the release of most players in the squad. RCB might boast a new-look unit next year, and without too many youngsters nailing their places down in the side recently, that might be for the best.
Some players will be off the market for RCB, especially former skipper Virat Kohli. Others, however, might not be considered valuable enough to be retained in the minimal available slots.
On that note, here are three top players that might have to be released by RCB ahead of IPL 2025.
#3 Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell has been one of RCB's biggest stars over the last four years, but he had a miserable campaign in IPL 2024. He managed just 52 runs in 10 matches at an average of 5.78 and struggled to find the middle of his bat throughout the competition.
Given his underwhelming batting displays and the fact he isn't getting any younger, Maxwell could be on his way out of RCB. At the very least, he could be thrust into the auction pool and potentially bought for a lesser price. The Aussie hasn't been very consistent over the years in the IPL, but the market is likely to view a player of his ability favorably.
Bengaluru, meanwhile, are primed to place their faith in Will Jacks and Cameron Green among the overseas contingent. Both players are younger and more dynamic, with Jacks arguably offering an upgrade on Maxwell in the long run.
#2 Yash Dayal
Picked at the IPL 2024 auction after two middling seasons at the Gujarat Titans, Yash Dayal had a productive campaign for RCB. The left-arm pacer took on difficult roles in the powerplay and at the death, returning 15 wickets at an economy rate of 9.15.
Left-arm pacers who are proven at the IPL level are hard to come by, and RCB have long struggled with having stability in their bowling attack. A player like Dayal, who had a good season bowling at the unforgiving Chinnaswamy Stadium and is among the domestic bowlers with all-phase prowess, should ideally be retained.
As things currently stand, Dayal is uncapped. However, he was called up to the Indian squad for the Bangladesh Test series, and the team management seems likely to try out a few fast bowlers during the upcoming New Zealand rubber. With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on the horizon, there's every chance that the 26-year-old will receive his maiden international cap before the end of this month.
If that happens, Dayal might suddenly become too expensive for RCB to retain. They would have no choice but to release him into the auction pool, where they would be tempted to bring him back.
#1 Faf du Plessis
RCB captain Faf du Plessis was signed amid much fanfare during the 2022 mega auction, and he has delivered three impressive campaigns at the top of the order. As the leader of the franchise, the South African has butchered pace in the powerplay and consistently improved his game against spin as well.
Du Plessis is still going strong, having recently led the St Lucia Kings to the Caribbean Premier League title. Excellent on the field and still capable with the bat, he likely has a few years left at the top level. However, Bengaluru will not want to retain him for the price tags decided by the governing council.
Even ₹11 crore seems high for Du Plessis, who is at risk of experiencing a sharp decline at any point soon. So we could see the top-order batter be up for grabs when the auction commences later this year.