5 players who were at their peak while representing Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL
Royal Challengers Bangalore has one of the biggest fanbases in all of cricket. Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, TM Dilshan, Rahul Dravid, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn, Kevin Pietersen and several other big names have been a part of the Bangalore-based franchise over the last 13 years.
Unfortunately, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have not seized a single IPL title yet. They have reached the final three times, only to squander the golden opportunity to win the championship.
Some IPL fans have frequently criticized the RCB team management for changing their squad frequently. However, a few players performed their best when they played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
5. Yuvraj Singh scored three fifties for the Royal Challengers Bangalore
Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh joined the Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the 2014 IPL season. Yuvraj had played three seasons for the Punjab Kings and the Pune Warriors before he bagged a deal from RCB.
Singh had recorded five half-centuries in his first five IPL seasons, while the all-rounder touched the 50-run mark thrice in the 2014 season itself. Yuvraj aggregated 376 runs at an average of 34.18. His highest score was 83, and he scored more runs than RCB captain Virat Kohli in IPL 2014.
Besides, Yuvraj also scalped five wickets, including an IPL four-wicket haul against the Rajasthan Royals. Although Singh performed well for RCB, he did not receive another contract from the franchise.
4. Daniel Vettori
Former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori represented two IPL franchises in his career. The Delhi Capitals were the first franchise to sign Vettori, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore acquired his services next.
Being a senior player, Vettori even got an opportunity to captain the Royal Challengers in IPL. The left-arm spinner bowled 86.4 overs for the Bangalore-based team, picking up 17 wickets at an economy rate of 6.30. During his stint with Delhi, Vettori conceded 7.75 runs per over.
RCB played their home matches on the batsman-friendly pitch at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, highlighting how well Vettori bowled.
Vettori also fared well as the RCB skipper. He took the team to the IPL Final in 2011. In all, the New Zealand spinner captained the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 22 matches, where his team emerged victorious 12 times.
While Daniel Vettori played international cricket until 2015, he did not return to the IPL after the fifth season. Nevertheless, his contribution played a vital role in RCB's success.