IPL Retentions 2022: RCB's mistakes, what they got right and concerns ahead of the auction
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are yet to win an Indian Premier League (IPL) title but things seem to be on an upswing of late. The three-time finalists have reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, with a few talented players emerging as genuine match-winners for the franchise.
Just when it seemed like RCB would be primed to go from strength to strength, they've been forced to rejig their roster due to the impending entrance of two new teams accompanied by a mega-auction. They opted to retain Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj, with other key performers unfortunately forced to enter the auction pool.
How did RCB fare during their IPL 2022 retentions? We take a look at their mistakes, the things they got right and the concerns ahead of the auction.
Mistakes: Letting go of trusted performers, lack of emphasis on youth
By opting to retain only three players, RCB had to let go of Yuzvendra Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal, Washington Sundar and Harshal Patel, among others. AB de Villiers' retirement simplified matters a touch, but they were always expected to keep as many players as possible from their playoffs-reaching sides.
Chahal is RCB's leading wicket-taker, while Harshal finished IPL 2021 as the runaway Purple Cap winner and has now played for India as well. Sundar missed the majority of IPL 2021 with injury but the young all-rounder has been an integral part of RCB and the Indian T20I side for quite a few years now.
RCB have let go of trusted performers who know the inner workings of the franchise and might have to work hard to get their new signings up to speed. All four players are expected to fetch more at the auction than what they would've been retained for, and it is unrealistic to expect RCB to go for them seriously.
RCB have also released two young players with immense potential in Sundar and Padikkal. While Padikkal could've been the face of the franchise due to his local identity and high ceiling, Sundar has immense experience for a 22-year-old. Siraj is the youngest retention at 27, while both Kohli and Maxwell are on the wrong side of 30.
Masterstrokes: Pay cut for Kohli, Maxwell retention
Virat Kohli was drawing INR 17 crore until the last retention cycle and he has now taken a slight pay cut to drop down to INR 15 crore. While that may not seem like a significant amount, RCB need every penny to construct a solid team at the mega-auction. Kohli's pay has already forced the franchise into making a questionable decision - read KL Rahul - and they will be happy not to entertain the possibility again.
RCB now have a decent auction purse after retaining only three players, one of whom is the ever-popular Maxwell. The Aussie has found a new lease of life in the IPL with RCB and is clearly attached to the franchise. If he manages to keep his performances at the IPL 2021 standard, he will be one of the most valuable players in the league.
Concerns: RCB's impending captain search, spin replacements
With Kohli having announced that he won't captain RCB anymore, the think tank will have to - in all probability - buy a captain at the auction. Maxwell, as an all-rounder who is an electric fielder, has a lot on his plate already. And although he has led the Melbourne Stars admirably, he might not welcome being burdened by the responsibility.
Captains aren't easy to find in the auction. Shreyas Iyer is the most high-profile Indian option available, and the perils of overseas skippers are well-documented in the IPL. Irrespective of who captains the side, they won't come cheap. And with other top sides like the Chennai Super Kings, the Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Capitals having retained their captains, RCB will be careful not to fall behind in the race.
Finally, RCB need to ensure that they sign quality bowlers - especially spinners - in the IPL 2022 auction. They've always been suspect with their choices of bowlers, and while Siraj is one name that adds weight to the roster, they need to be very clever with their buys. Chahal and Harshal have left a massive hole in the side and things could easily go pear-shaped at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium without world-class bowlers.