IPL 2022: 3 RCB players who might be benched throughout the season
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are yet to announce their IPL captain for the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL). But irrespective of who is handed the responsibility of leading the franchise this year, it's safe to say that RCB - as always - are expected to make a deep run into the tournament.
Although RCB have only 22 players in their squad, the second-lowest among the 10 2022 IPL teams, they have a few players who might be surplus to requirements. The team's first-choice playing XI has a combination that isn't flexible enough to be disturbed regularly.
RCB's squad for IPL 2022: Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Faf du Plessis, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Finn Allen, Akash Deep, Josh Hazlewood, Jason Behrendorff, Chama Milind, Karn Sharma, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mahipal Lomror, Sherfane Rutherford, Suyash Prabhudessai, Aneeshwar Gautam, David Willey, Luvnith Sisodia, Siddharth Kaul
Here are three RCB players who might be benched for the entirety of IPL 2022.
#3 Sherfane Rutherford
Sherfane Rutherford is one among the plethora of West Indian all-rounders who are capable of smashing the ball out of the park and sending down a few overs of medium pace. However, the youngster might not fit into RCB's scheme of things for IPL 2022.
In Glenn Maxwell, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mahipal Lomror and Shahbaz Ahmed, RCB have a crop of all-rounders who can deliver in both departments. Moreover, with Faf du Plessis and Josh Hazlewood taking up overseas slots, Rutherford would not be able to enter the playing XI without severely disturbing its balance and quality.
Had Rutherford been a more trustworthy option with the ball, RCB might've been able to squeeze him in. But given how they can't afford to play an overseas batting all-rounder, especially after the Dan Christian debacle last year, the 23-year-old might warm the bench throughout IPL 2022. He has also been in indifferent form recently, with a highest score of 21 across his last seven innings.
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#2 Finn Allen
A talented youngster who has been a part of RCB before, Finn Allen clearly has the faith of Mike Hesson and the team management. The Kiwi is an exciting talent who can be absolutely deadly on his day, but it's almost impossible for him to be anything more than a backup option.
RCB have two Indian wicket-keeping options in Dinesh Karthik and Anuj Rawat, so Allen won't need to bring his part-time glovework into the picture. And with Faf du Plessis manning an overseas batting slot at the top of the order and potentially even being the franchise's captain, it's unrealistic for the 22-year-old to feature for RCB.
#1 Karn Sharma
Karn Sharma has been a staple of several IPL-winning sides in the recent past, and whether he can transfer his luck to a silverware-less franchise in RCB remains to be seen. Unfortunately for the leg-spinner, he may not get a chance to do that on the field in IPL 2022.
Sharma hasn't played more than nine games in any of the last six IPL seasons and warmed the bench throughout the 2021 edition. His economy rate hasn't been below seven since 2017, and he has only 10 scalps over his last 21 matches in the league.
More importantly, the 34-year-old isn't needed by RCB even though they're without their leading wicket-taker in Yuzvendra Chahal this year. Hasaranga will be the team's premier wrist-spinner, flanked by several other all-round options like Shahbaz, Lomror and Maxwell. We could see Sharma spend another IPL season on the sidelines.