IPL 2019: 5 personnel changes RCB need to make for their match against Rajasthan Royals
RCB is one of the most popular sides in the Indian Premier League for cricketing as well as non-cricketing reasons. Their matches are invariably sold out, their social media presence is incredible, and they have some of the greatest players in their ranks.
That is true in 2019 and has been the case since the beginning of the tournament. The who's-who of world cricket have represented RCB in the past, to make the team a perennially star-studded one.
And yet RCB are still searching for their first IPL title. Every year there is hope, but the team fails to deliver on the promise.
Virat Kohli's men have failed to capitalize on their moments in the past, but they have never looked quite as listless as they do in IPL 2019. They went down in flames against CSK in the tournament opener, were robbed against the Mumbai Indians and were humbled and humiliated by the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Kohli looks tired and jaded, AB de Villiers is like a deer in headlights with the bat in hand, and no one else has stepped up. The window is closing in on RCB quickly, and they have to conjure a miracle to turn things around.
They have the players for the job, but whether they can actually go out and get it done remains to be seen.
RCB will take on the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on April 2, 2019. Both teams are searching for their first victory, and both find themselves at the bottom of the points table. If RCB want to get off the mark in the tournament, they have to make some changes to their playing XI. As many as five, if you are to take my word.
Let us take a look at the players RCB should bring in for their match against Rajasthan Royals.
#1 Heinrich Klaasen in for Parthiv Patel
There is a very strong case to be made that Parthiv Patel is the most in-form batsmen in the Bangalore setup currently. If you believe that, then it does not make much sense to drop him. But desperate times call for desperate measures.
The southpaw takes up too many balls at the start, and rarely does he make a match-defining contribution. For a team that is heavily dependent on Kohli and De Villiers, it is of no use to bat him in the top order, and he cannot bat anywhere else.
In that case, step up Heinrich Klaasen.
Klaasen was picked up by RCB late in the auction for his base price of Rs. 50 lakh. He made his debut in the IPL for Rajasthan last season, but generated little interest before RCB picked him up this time around.
Klaasen is a clean striker of the ball, can tonk the spinners well and is a fantastic wicket-keeper. He will provide much needed depth to that floundering RCB middle order.
Who will open the batting for RCB in that case? A certain AB de Villiers. As I said earlier, desperate times call for desperate measures.