IPL 2020: 3 uncapped Royal Challengers Bangalore players who deserve a chance in the playing XI
With just over six weeks to go for the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the craze among the fans is getting stronger. And Royal Challengers Bangalore, as always, will continue the hunt for their maiden title.
The Royal Challengers have struggled to strike the right team combination over the years. They have reached the finals of the competition thrice but failed to cross the line each time.
RCB finished last in the 2019 points table, managing only five wins from 14 league games, and will be desperate to better their performance this time around.
Also see – PSL points table
The management has revamped the support staff, roping in former New Zealand head coach Mike Hesson as the Director of Cricket and Simon Katich as the head coach. They have retained their core group of players and brought in some valuable reinforcements at the auction. The introduction of Aaron Finch along with Chris Morris and Isuru Udana is likely to do wonders for the Bangalore franchise.
Amidst these star-studded cricketers, RCB also boasts of some terrific uncapped players who have grabbed eyeballs with their impressive showings in domestic cricket. On that note, we take a look at three uncapped players from the team who deserve a chance in the playing XI at some point this season.
1. Pavan Deshpande
A 30-year-old all-rounder from Karnataka, Pavan Deshpande has been making the news with his clean hitting. From being the highest-paid cricketer in the Karnataka Premier League in 2019 to becoming a vital member of Karnataka in the domestic circuit, Deshpande has come a long way.
Deshpande was roped in by RCB in 2018 for Rs. 20 lakh but had to warm the benches throughout the season. The Hesson-led management has once again roped in the experienced all-rounder, intending to strengthen the middle-order.
Deshpande boasts a strike rate of almost 150 in the shorter format and can also roll his arm when necessary. Bangalore have Shivam Dube in their ranks, but he has failed to step up in crisis situations. That is where Deshpande can come in.
The Karnataka-born cricketer can strike the ball a country mile and could be a valuable surprise element in the team.