IPL 2018: Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB) SWOT analysis
The perennial underachievers of the Indian Premier League, Royal Challengers Bangalore will take to the field in the 11th edition of IPL with nothing but the title in sight. The three-time finalists(2009, 2011 and 2016) will once again be led by the charismatic Virat Kohli who would love to win his first major trophy as a captain.
In the auction earlier this year, the Bangalore-based franchise built up a formidable team and along with it, retained the core of their previous squad. While they already had Kohli, AB de Villiers and Sarfaraz Khan before the auction, they opted to use RTM cards on Yuzvendra Chahal and Pawan Negi.
RCB's costliest buy was England all-rounder Chris Woakes at Rs 7.40 crore and other important foreign imports include Brendon McCullum, Quinton de Kock, Colin de Grandhomme, Moeen Ali and Tim Southee. The likes of Washington Sundar, Umesh Yadav, Parthiv Patel, Manan Vohra, Mohammed Siraj and Mandeep Singh will lead the Indian contingent.
Here's a SWOT analysis of the Bangalore-based franchise.
Full Squad: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Sarfaraz Khan, Brendon Mccullum, Chris Woakes, Colin de Grandhomme, Moeen Ali, Quinton De Kock, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Manan Vohra, Aniket Choudhary, Navdeep Saini, Murugan Ashwin, Mandeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Pawan Negi, Corey Anderson(replacement for Nathan Coulter-Nile), Mohammed Siraj, Anirudha Joshi, Parthiv Patel, Tim Southee, Pavan Deshpande.
Strengths
Batting line-up
Like has been the case in the first 10 editions of IPL, the Royal Challengers from Bangalore have a mean-looking batting line-up. With two of the best batsmen in the sport leading the line, RCB can tear apart a bowling line-up on any given day.
The addition of Brendon McCullum and Quinton de Kock will help them fill up the void created by the departure of Chris Gayle, who won them quite a few encounters single-handedly. Both Manan Vohra and Parthiv Patel have proved their mettle in the cash-rich league previously and are worthy opening options as well.
The duo of Patel and Vohra, however, might have to do with a spot in the middle order if captain Kohli decides to continue opening the innings in IPL. Youngster Sarfaraz Khan, who was retained by the side, would want to repay the faith shown in him by the team management.
Quality all-rounders
RCB, unlike the previous editions, have a strong all-rounder contingent for the 2018 season. The likes of Chris Woakes, Colin de Grandhomme, Corey Anderson, Moeen Ali, Washington Sundar and Pawan Negi will have a crucial role to play, down the order with the bat and with the ball.
While Sundar is a certainty, only two of the four foreign all-rounders will be a part of the starting line-up, provided both McCullum(or De Kock) and ABD feature in it.