"I don't think they got it quite right" - Anil Kumble criticizes RCB's strategy during IPL 2024 Auction
Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Anil Kumble was far from pleased with the three-time finalists' approach during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 mini-auction in Dubai on Tuesday, December 19.
RCB secured a couple of deals through trade in the off-season in the form of Cameron Green and Mayank Dagar from the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) respectively. When it came to releases, they decided to let go of the trio of Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood, and Harshal Patel.
At the auction, RCB ended up with overseas purchases of Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, and Tom Curran. Their biggest Indian acquisition came in the form of Yash Dayal, as they wrapped up the auction with a couple of low-profile signings.
Speaking on Jio Cinema, Kumble said:
“I think I agree with this in terms of the rating, I don't think they go beyond seven, because when you look at an auction, you're looking to better what you have done in the past or released. The three bowlers they released, if you look at Hasaranga, Hazlewood and Harshal Patel, have you picked players better than them?"
He continued:
“They still require a spinner. They don't have a spinner. Even at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, it’s the wicket-taking spinners who always perform better. So they don't have that. They'll have to lean back on Karn Sharma, who hardly played last season. He was the impact bowler for them, but didn't play all the matches. So it's a huge ask and then they've made a trade as well. So it's not easy without a spinner. I don't think they got it quite right."
Including the aforementioned bowling trio, RCB had released a total of 11 players ahead of the mini-auction. They made the bold decision to go all out for Pat Cummins, bidding up to ₹20.25 crore, before being outbid by the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who eventually got the player.
RCB's bowling attack paints a worrying picture
The franchise has held a poor reputation for a lopsided balance between their batting and bowling over the years, and it has come to fruition yet again ahead of the 2024 season. While their batting unit boasts huge names like Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, and Faf du Plessis, the same cannot be said for their bowling attack.
Bowlers anyway find it hard to bowl at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, and a lackluster bowling attack might struggle to contain batters at the venue throughout the season. The franchise did place a desperate bid for Nuwan Thusara in the closing stages of the auction but lost out to the Mumbai Indians (MI).
RCB fans cut a frustrated figure at the end of the auction, criticizing the franchise for going overboard on Alzarri Joseph and targeting the wrong players in general.