IPL 2022 Auction: 3 reasons why RCB have the best bowling lineup
It wasn't until IPL 2021 that the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) finally had some balance in their bowling unit.
Although they have had some of the more promising and experienced bowlers in their setup over the years, it has been their batters who have mostly won them matches.
However, IPL 2022 might see their bowlers shoulder more load and even deliver. Bangalore were one of the sides that emerged out of the two-day mega event with some quality bowlers on their side.
Although they passed over Yuzvendra Chahal, RCB made some impressive and expensive signings in the form of Josh Hazlewood, David Willey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sherfane Rutherford, and Jason Behrendorff as their international bowlers.
The Indians part of the bowling attack includes Mohammed Siraj, Shahbaz Ahmed Aneeshwar Gautam, Chama Milind and Akash Deep. With these names in the mix, we speculate on why Bangalore has the best bowling lineup.
#3 They have three left-arm seamers at their disposal
A simple example of the damage a left-arm quick can cause is Trent Boult in the IPL. Though expensive at times, their angles and lengths can trouble the best of the batters and RCB have three of them in their squad.
It's unlikely that all three of these seamers — Milind, Behrendorff and Willey might play all games, but expect at least one of them to make the squad and form a pace trio alongside Siraj and Hazlewood.
#2 RCB's bowling has depth this time around
With five bowlers being the minimum used in games, RCB can use at least seven in one game. On top of three seamers and two spinners, they also have a fifth bowling option in Shahbaz Ahmed.
However, they also have a handy wicket-taking bowler in Glenn Maxwell who has 22 wickets to show for in the IPL. His economy might be on the higher side with 8.55, but he has managed to bamboozle a few batters with his offbreaks.
#1 A well-rounded bowling unit
In Siraj and Hazlewood, RCB has two quality bowlers who can bowl at any stage of the innings. Harshal Patel was the league's leading wicket-taker with 32 wickets in IPL 2021 and will continue to bowl in the death overs.
Hasaranga is one of the best T20 spinners in the world at the moment and can bowl at any stage. Coming off the bench in any of the big name absences are Siddharth Kaul and Karn Sharma, who boast of experience. It is perhaps the first time that Bangalore has a solid bowling department since the inception of the IPL.