IPL 2022: 3 players RCB might target on Virat Kohli's advice
The countdown has begun and the excitement is palpable with the IPL 2022 Auction less than 48 hours away.
A lot of eyes will be on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who are on the lookout for a new captain with Virat Kohli stepping down.
Kohli has had a long association with the franchise and it is set to continue into the league's 15th edition. Apart from Kohli, RCB have retained Australian Glenn Maxwell and Indian speedster Mohammed Siraj ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction.
🏼
Having retained Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj, RCB will head into the #IPL2022 Auction with a purse of 57 Crores. 💪🏼
#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPLRetention https://t.co/KzRhBwnIqq
3 players RCB might pick up at the IPL 2022 Auction on Virat Kohli's advice
While he may not be the team's captain anymore, Virat Kohli undoubtedly remains a leader in the RCB setup.
Needless to say, the franchise too will value Kohli's inputs and factor in the same before raising the paddle come February 12 and 13.
Here, we take a look at three players that the team could target on the advice of Kohli:
#3 Prasidh Krishna
Prasidh Krishna had an outing to remember, bowling India to a series win over the West Indies on Wednesday (February 9).
He returned scarcely-believable figures of 9-3-12-4 in what was an impeccable spell of bowling at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
While Krishna was always going to be in demand at the IPL 2022 Auction, that spell has just raised his stocks even further. It may be noted that Virat Kohli talked up Prasidh Krishna's skills post the second T20I against Sri Lanka back in January 2020.
Krishna's swift rise to the Indian setup thereafter is testament to the same, with the Karnataka pacer having been part of India's Test squad as well.
Given that he is a local lad, do not be surprised if RCB actively pursue Krishna at the IPL 2022 Auction on the recommendation of Kohli.
#2 Shardul Thakur
Few would have witnessed Shardul Thakur's exploits at the international level as closely as Virat Kohli.
Be it his ability to break open a contest against the run of play or contribute vital runs with the bat, Thakur offers quite the package for teams at the IPL 2022 Auction.
While his bowling can be dubbed as a work in progress in white-ball cricket, Thakur has left quite a mark in Test cricket.
Evidence for the same lies in India's historic wins at the Gabba and the Oval last year, while he also picked up a seven-wicket haul in the Centurion Test last month.
Shardul Thakur was also the leading wicket-taker in Chennai Super Kings' triumph in IPL 2021. Given the enterprising package that he offers as a potential bowling all-rounder, Thakur will be in heavy demand at the IPL 2022 Auction.
Don't be surprised if Kohli is to persuade the RCB management into gunning for Thakur, given that the duo have worked together successfully in the Indian team.
#1 Yuzvendra Chahal
For a team that has been batting-heavy, RCB's bowling unit has for a long time centered around Yuzvendra Chahal. The ace leg-spinner has arguably been their biggest match-winner, picking up wickets for fun at the batting paradise that is the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Chahal was in the franchise's plans ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction, but wasn't retained owing to financials not materializing.
That said, he is quite simply the best white-ball spinner in India and the Bangalore team will be itching to get him back into their fold.
In an interview with Ravichandran Ashwin, Chahal mentioned that he is ready to go to any team even as his heart lies with RCB. That said, his rapport with Virat Kohli over the last eight seasons in the IPL and the Indian team is well-documented.
It can be safely assumed that Kohli will certainly advise the Royal Challengers to go all out in pursuit of Chahal at the IPL 2022 Auction. While Chahal is set to spark off a bidding war, expect his previous franchise to gun hard for his services again.