IPL 2022 Auction: What was the logic behind RCB bidding for Devdutt Padikkal?
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) surprisingly did not bid hard enough to re-sign Yuzvendra Chahal. However, that was not the case when they were seen desperately trying to win the bid for young opener Devdutt Padikkal.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) were engaged in an intense three-way bidding war to sign Paddikal.
The 2008 IPL champions eventually won the race to sign him for ₹7.75 crores.
Padikkal has one of the better players in RCB recently. He scored 884 runs in his last 29 games for Bangalore at an average of 31.57 with a strike rate of 125.04
His presence at the top of the order, alongside Virat Kohli gave RCB a solid opening pair to depend on. Moreover, their right-left combination was also beneficial in the side getting the better of the bowlers in the early overs of their innings.
However, when the bid for Padikkal began, RCB had already signed Faf du Plessis at the IPL 2022 Auction for ₹7 crores. The former Proteas captain was the second-highest run scorer in IPL 2021. His runs came for CSK, while batting at the top of the order.
Hence, it was a little strange to watch Bangalore fight hard to resign Padikkal. Let us try and decode why RCB would adopt such a strategy.
Did RCB bid for Devdutt Padikkal so he could open with either Virat Kohli or Faf du Plessis in IPL 2022?
Faf du Plessis' addition was seen as a partner for Virat Kohli to open with in IPL 2022.
Du Plessi scored 633 runs in 16 matches, including six fifties and notched up his highest IPL return last season.
In total, the former Proteas captain has scored 2932 runs in 93 innings at a strike rate of 132. Alongside Kohli, they have the ability to form a lethal opening partnership for Bangalore.
Du Plessis also brings in leadership qualities along with his excellent fielding attributes.
Had Padikkal indeed been acquired by RCB, then that would have meant either Kohli or du Plessis would have had to slot one step down the batting order.
In all certainty, it could have been Kohli, who would have moved down one spot to bat at No. 3 - his usual number for Team India. Kohli has aggregated 2696 runs from 85 IPL innings at an average of 36.93 and a strike rate of 123.84 batting at that position.
Another reason to add him could have been to add more material to the batting line-up. Had Padikkal, Kohli and du Plessi been RCB's top three, then Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik and Wanindu Hasaranga would have designated roles as pure finishers in the team.
However, missing out on Padikkal means Mahipal Lomror or Anuj Rawat might have to bat at no. 3.