Reviewing RCB's IPL 2022 Auction: Is the squad good enough to win the IPL?
With IPL 2022 auction done and dusted, it is review time and first up are Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Over the years, the franchise have been infamous for spending big on names that haven't exactly set the tournament on fire and have failed to hand them the elusive title.
Things have looked relatively better for the side since IPL 2021 as they seem to have worked out on balance and game awareness — two glaring absentees in their IPL run prior to that.
Their IPL 2022 auction may not have been a shopping spree, but they'll be quietly pleased with their buys while also hoping that their major million-dollar acquisitions will deliver.
With 22 players on their roster, some names raised eyebrows and RCB garnered ample flak on social media. They weren't spared from the slam on day two as well after spending ₹88.45 crores to build what they felt was a team good enough to go the distance.
Before reviewing and grading the side, here's a quick look at the squad list:
Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Faf du Plessis, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Shahbaz Ahmed, David Willey, Sherfane Rutherford, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Jason Behrendorff, Siddharth Kaul, Karn Sharma, Suyash Prabhudessai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Akash Deep, Luvnith Sissodia
Reviewing RCB's IPL 2022 Auction
This review attempts to dissect the thought process behind bidding for certain names and not for the ones that were favorites to be acquired in public opinion. It also looks at how the franchise attempted to fix errors from previous seasons while speculating on their journey forward.
#1 Decoding the Wanindu Hasaranga buy
Roped in for ₹10.75 crores, Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was RCB's bank-breaker at the IPL 2022 auction. For a player who was roped in as a replacement last season, the think-tank went all out, fending off the Punjab Kings (PBKS).
Hasaranga played just two matches in IPL 2021, but saw his stock rise massively after consistent and stellar performances during the 2021 T20 World Cup.
The tweaker bagged 16 wickets to finish as the leading wicket-taker, while also setting the record for most wickets in a T20 World Cup. His exploits also included a hat-trick against South Africa, although Sri Lanka failed to close out the game.
The all-rounder is no slouch with the bat either. He proved that during the skirmish against Ireland where he counter-attacked with a 47-ball-71 against Ireland after a top-order collapse.
His biggest strength is his googly, which is particularly hard to pick and the proof came from the fact that 15 out of his 16 World Cup wickets were from googlies.
- Bowls beautifully at any stage of innings.
- Has maybe the most destructive googly around.
- Almost always takes wickets, almost never gets taken down.
- Bats explosively, and is electric in the field.
Not many more perfect T20 players than Wanindu Hasaranga right now.
#2 So why didn't they bid for Yuzvendra Chahal then?
For one, Hasaranga brings in the option where he is more than handy with the bat and a bonafide all-rounder. An argument can always be made for letting off a leggie who has been instrumental to the side over the last few years, but a new-look RCB unit just might do what the former couldn't.
Shifting from an editorial perspective for a moment, Yuzvendra Chahal's non-retention stings less when compared to the fact that the side didn't raise the paddle even when they could afford him.
But here's giving the benefit of the doubt to the side, there's hope that Hasaranga, despite taking a game or two, will deliver.
Hasraranga will add more teeth to a bowling unit that already has the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood and Harshal Patel. Karn Sharma or Shahbaz Ahmed will roll their arms over for an over or two to add more variety.
#3 Weighing-in on the potential No.3: Anuj Rawat or Mahipal Lomror?
With uncapped Anuj Rawat picked up for a surprising ₹3.40 cr, there is a possibility that he will get more than just a few games. The question is: will he play at No.3 or will the side go for a relatively experienced Mahipal Lomror?
Rawat had one of the more forgettable IPL debuts for the Rajasthan Royals. He started with a duck, but the scouting side may have seen more potential to overlook that debut.
#4 RCB has a solid opening combo, but what of their middle-order?
One of the major issues that will plague RCB will be their vulnerable underbelly. On paper, it looks like the middle order can push to a decent total if the top order fails, but formidable is a long way off.
Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli will almost certainly open the innings and the clear idea will be for one to bat through in the innings. Bangalore will look to avoid the side batting past Dinesh Karthik.
What this side must do is punch their weight and they'll almost easily finish in the top four, giving them every reason to be title-clinchers.
Here's a quick look at what the batting order might look like:
#5 Who will captain RCB in IPL 2022?
Expect someone like Faf du Plessis to perhaps lead the side in IPL 2022. With RCB's Director of Cricket Operations, Mike Hesson, already labeling the former South African skipper as a leader, there's every chance the side might pick him to lead the side.
Earlier, the franchise took to social media to release a mock auction video that showed them bidding for Faf du Plessis and there was a mild hint that he would be looked at as one of the choices to lead the side this season.
“With the options we have in our current squad and the uncertainty surrounding those, and the options we have at the auction, where we think we can gain a real advantage is with Faf du Plessis who is highly experienced. He has captained South Africa for long, won the IPL many times and is a very consistent performer in terms of how he operates. He's a strong character and highly respected. These are a lot of attributes you want in a leader,” Hesson had said.
This frees up some load on Kohli's shoulders, making him a more dangerous batter to deal with. Although some of his finest performances have come during his leadership stint, perhaps a break and a responsibility-free season just might help him bring back some 2016-like performances.
RCB's overall IPL 2022 Auction grade: B+
Can RCB win IPL 2022? Win ratio - 70:30