IPL 2022: 3 things Royal Challengers Bangalore must not do during the player auction
Royal Challengers Bangalore will be hoping that smart buys at the IPL 2022 player auction followed by some consistent performances will make it the year they win the elusive silverware.
Despite possessing star power, RCB have always fallen short of winning the title. If things are to change, it will depend on the team they build around Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj.
The franchise heads into the auction with ₹ 57 crore to spend — a sizeable amount to build a formidable squad.
Ahead of the IPL 2022 auction on February 12 and 13, we look at three things RCB must not do during the paddle battle.
#1 Must not splurge money on new faces
In a move that has previously backfired, RCB must refrain from targeting new names during the IPL 2022 auction. With zero experience of playing in the subcontinent, these players are weighed down by expectations which, in turn, hamper their performances.
A classic example was Tymal Mills who was brought for ₹ 12 crore in 2017, 12 times his base price. It turned out to be a season to forget, as he bagged just five wickets and conceded 8+ runs an over.
#2 Must not bid for players if it means stretching the purse
RCB will be looking at skipper material (unless they decide to hand Kohli the captaincy again), and will be targeting either David Warner or Shreyas Iyer — choice picks to be captain for whichever team they play in IPL 2022.
Should the RCB fail to bag either of these players, their next option should be to acquire their key players from 2020 and 2021 and some reliable names in Shikhar Dhawan or Faf du Plessis — players with some captaincy experience who could lead the side.
#3 Must not make the side batting-heavy again
For all the batting firepower, RCB had a woeful bowling attack until IPL 2020 and 2021. Their dependency on major game-changers — especially with the bat — has cost them dear in the tournament since inception and that is another key mistake the franchise must avoid during the upcoming mega auction.