IPL 2020: 3 RCB players who could be popular fantasy picks
Despite a plethora of stars in their team, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been one of the most underperforming franchises in the IPL (Indian Premier League). RCB finished last in two of the last three editions of the competition, taking the wooden spoon in both 2017 and 2019.
IPL 2020 is scheduled to be held in the UAE owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virat Kohli-led RCB outfit, who are practising hard inside a bio-secure bubble, will be keen to turn things around this time.
RCB do have the wherewithal to perform well in the competition. That was evident when they finished runners-up in IPL 2016. However, the Bengaluru-based franchise do need to pull up their socks to be able to compete well against the other teams in IPL 2020.
Inspite of their poor recent record in the IPL, a few RCB players are likely to be hot property in fantasy games like Dream 11 who are, incidentally, the title sponsor of IPL 2020. On that note, let us take a look at the top three RCB players who could be massive hits in various fantasy leagues.
Three RCB players in IPL 2020 who could be massive hits in various fantasy leagues
#1: Virat Kohli
It goes without saying that the RCB skipper is the run-machine of the team. Virat Kohli had an incredible IPL 2016 as he smashed an unbelievable 973 runs, scoring four hundreds and seven fifties at an average of 81.08 and a strike-rate of 152.03. Cricket analyst Harsha Bhogle opines that this a record that may possibly never be broken.
Even when RCB have struggled, Kohli has done his job with the bat. He put together 530 runs in IPL 2018 and 464 runs in the latest edition of the competition last year. Crowds or no crowds, playing for India or RCB, Kohli is one of the safest bets for any fantasy league as he promises guaranteed returns.
#2: AB de Villiers
Like Kohli, former South African skipper AB de Villiers has been a stalwart for RCB. In fact, Kohli and de Villiers have been majorly responsible for the few joyful moments RCB have experienced in the IPL in recent times.
With the COVID-19 pandemic dashing his hopes of an international comeback before the T20 World Cup which has now been postponed, De Villiers will be keen to prove that he still possesses match-winning ability.
The veteran South African has been consistency-personified for his IPL franchise -- scoring 513 runs in 2015 and 687 runs in the next edition of the competition. He experienced a rare poor season with the bat in 2017, when he scored just 216 runs. But he came back with a bang in the last two IPL seasons, registering over 400 runs in each season.
#3: Aaron Finch
Australia’s big-hitting limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch is yet to achieve his full potential in the IPL despite providing glimpses of what he is capable of.
One of the key reasons behind the same is that he hasn’t got a chance to consistently play for a single franchise in the competition. Aaron Finch has played for Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors India, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Finch will be representing Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2020.
In 75 IPL games, Finch has managed 1737 runs at a strike-rate of 130.69. There is little doubt about Finch’s T20 legacy. Two of the top three highest individual scores in T20Is are in his name. He is at number three in the official T20I batting rankings. Finch's presence in the RCB lineup should take some pressure off Kohli and De Villiers. If Finch gets going, the burly batsman could be difficult to stop.