On Their Quest for a Maiden Title - Who Should RCB Target at IPL Auction 2024

Having released their three prime bowlers, #RCB will look for a complete revamp in the bowling department.

RCB released a total of 11 players most of which belonged to the bowling department.

Image: Instagram/Altered by The Quint

For a franchise that is yet to taste the success of an Indian Premier League (IPL) title triumph, the IPL auction holds paramount importance for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). With Glenn Maxwell and now Cameron Green in the mix, RCB have their all-rounders’ department covered but strengthening their bowling lineup, especially fast bowling, could be key.

Additionally, they may target spinners who could further bolster their bowling arsenal.

In this article, we will delve into RCB’s potential strategic bidding plans to build a competitive and balanced team for the upcoming season:

How Does RCB’s Squad & XI Look Now?

The Bangalore-based franchise released a total of 11 players most of which belonged to the bowling department. Cameron Green's trade from the Mumbai Indians for an astounding Rs 17.5 crore was the highlight of RCB's off season, which has added to their ever-so lethal top order. 

Historically, RCB has often been critiqued for its bowling. With Rs 23.15 crore left in their auction kitty, Bangalore will be trying to allay this fear during the auction - investing in strategic spin options and elite fast bowlers can provide the team with the firepower needed to defend or chase challenging targets effectively.

Firstly, let us have a look at the players retained by RCB:

Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green (trade), Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar (trade), Vyshak Vijaykumar, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar

Now, let us have a look at the make-up of the current RCB playing XI:

With captain Faf du Plesis, Virat Kohli and the explosive Glenn Maxwell comprising the top three, RCB’s top order looks formidable. Now that they have Cameron Green’s firepower abilities, utilising him in the starting XI will be a challenge for Bangalore.

With the services of Dinesh Karthik and all-rounder Mayank Dagar who they traded from SRH, their lower-batting order looks sorted, too. As far as the bowling department is concerned, Mohammed Siraj is the only bowler who seems like a lock. Other than him, two pacers and a good spinner are the three vacant spots that RCB need to cover.

What Should RCB Do at the IPL 2024 Auction?

For easier comprehension, let us segregate their possible strategy according to the categories of players they would want to acquire.

Category 1: Overseas Pacer

Having let go of Josh Hazlewood, the Challengers are in dire need of a quality overseas pacer who can bowl effectively in the powerplay and aid the side in the crucial death overs whilst keeping the opposition batters on their toes. 

Possible Targets:

• Mitchell Starc (Base Price: Rs 2 Crore)

RCB will have access to both speed and accuracy in Starc. Five teams are reportedly interested in signing the Australian speedster and with their batting unit taken care of, Bangalore won't have any trouble spending a lot of money on a dangerous foreign pacer. 

Moreover, Starc boasts the ability to perform well on Indian pitches - in the recently concluded ICC 2023 ODI World Cup he picked up 20 wickets, including three wickets in the final against India.

Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2014, the left-arm quick emerged as among the leading wicket-takers in the tournament with 20 scalps and the franchise would fancy a homecoming of the pacer.

• Pat Cummins (Base Price: Rs 2 Crore)

Another pace option up for grabs in the auction is Australian Test and ODI skipper Pat Cummins. The 30-year-old has 45 wickets in 42 matches in IPL. 

With his extensive experience, Pat Cummins appears to be the perfect choice to cover the gap in the pace department. A leader on and off the field, Cummins could provide RCB's bowling unit consistency and direction—a vital component that has eluded them in prior years.

• Gerald Coetzee (Base Price: Rs 2 Crore)

South Africa’s ace pacer Gerald Coetzee is another hot commodity in the bowling department that RCB will look to hunt at the IPL auction. In only his maiden appearance in the competition, Coetzee became the first player from the rainbow nation to take 20 wickets in a single World Cup edition.

Among Coetzee's stats, his wickets column in each competition is particularly noteworthy. The 23-year-old scalped 23 wickets at the SA20, emerging as the tournament’s third-highest wicket-taker. He also picked up three wickets in his last T20I appearance against India.

Category 2: Indian Pacer

With their three foreign top-order batters and a pacer from outside India, RCB will look to acquire a quality Indian speedster who can get the job done combining with Mohammed Siraj.

Possible Targets:

• Kartik Tyagi (Base Price: Rs 20 Lakh)

RCB can find a dependable Indian pacer in Kartik Tyagi - his ability to clock the ball above 145 kmph and scalp wickets at crucial junctures makes him a potential asset for any side. 

The homegrown bowler possesses 15 wickets in 19 matches to his name - one of the highlights of his IPL career is picking up nine wickets, including a remarkable last over against Punjab Kings, where he defended four runs in 2020.

Further, his recent exploits in domestic cricket that saw him scalp three three-wicket hauls in his last five domestic matches speak volumes for his prowess. If RCB manage to acquire him and partner him with the likes of Mohammed Siraj he will pose a major threat to the batters

• Chetan Sakariya (Base Price: Rs 50 Lakh)

Chetan Sakariya is another radical choice for RCB. Although Sakariya did not have many opportunities while donning the Delhi Capitals jersey, he was a revelation in the IPL 2021, taking 14 wickets in as many games for the Rajasthan Royals. However, over the previous two seasons, he only appeared in five games for the Capitals.

• Shivam Mavi (Base Price: Rs 50 Lakh)

Another pace option from India for RCB could be Shivam Mavi - Without participating in an IPL 2023 match, the 25-year-old was released by Gujarat Titans (GT). During the 2022 season, he averaged 45.40 and took five wickets in six games. He has a record of 53 T20 scalps at an average of 26.50 over 52 games

Category 3: Overseas Spinner

After releasing Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga, RCB will need to fill in the blank spot in the spin bowling all-rounder department. They have Green as an all-rounder who bowls at a fast pace, but in terms of abilities they would want another promising candidate.

Possible Targets:

• Rachin Ravindra (Base Price: Rs 50 Lakh)

RCB can look for a reliable spinner in New Zealand sensation Rachin Ravindra who can bowl decent left-arm spin and has an outstanding 2023 ODI World Cup record to his resume.

With three hundreds to his name, 24-year-old Ravindra hammered 578 runs at an average of 64.22 and a strike rate of 106.45 in ten innings. He has taken 41 wickets in 53 T20 matches as a reputable left-arm spinner. Ravindra has the potential to be a valuable utility player for the Bangalore team.

• Adil Rashid (Base Price: Rs 2 Crore)

Another viable option for Bangalore could be the experienced England spinner Adil Rashid - known as the T20 World Champions' primary weapon in T20Is, Rashid is currently regarded as the world's best white-ball spin bowler.

Making his IPL debut in 2023, Rashid was a part of the SRH where he played three games and took two significant wickets. With an outstanding record of 98 wickets in T20 Internationals, he has proven to be a dependable wicket-taker in the shorter format and thus could be a great find for the Faf-led franchise.

• Mujeeb-ur-Rahman (Base Price: Rs 2 Crore)

Afghanistan’s ace spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman could be another possible target of RCB at the auction. During his career, Mujeeb has participated in 229 T20 international matches and claimed 244 wickets with an economy rate of 6.71 maintaining an average of 23.78.

In his IPL career, Mujeeb first gained notoriety in 2018 when, as a 17-year-old, he claimed 14 wickets while playing for the Punjab Kings (PBKS). He did, however, play in just seven IPL games over the following two seasons, taking three wickets. In 2021, SRH acquired Mujeeb's services; however, he played in just one game, taking two wickets.

He is a desirable option since he can produce cost-effective four-over spells, which add much-needed stability. Wanindu Hasaranga's departure presents an opportunity for RCB to close a significant gap and possibly improve their bowling dynamics in Mujeeb.