The much-awaited TATA IPL 2023 is set to kick off on March 31, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore are among the teams to watch out for this season. While the Bangalore-based team did not do much shopping in the TATA IPL 2023 auction, they have a well-settled squad from the last season with a few transfers. The team has always had the potential to win the league but has failed to do so. Will this be the year RCB finally makes it count?
Let’s take a look at the Royal Challengers Bangalore history, current squad, strengths, weaknesses, form, and chances of winning this year’s IPL.
History
Royal Challengers Bangalore has always been a team full of firepower, but they have failed to win the IPL title in all these years. Virat Kohli has been with the team for 15 years now, from the very first year but is yet to lift the trophy. They reached the finals in 2009, 2011, and 2016, but unfortunately, they were the runners-up on all three occasions. The Bangalore-based team has always been a top contender, but they have never been able to cross the final hurdle.
Full Squad
The Royal Challengers Bangalore has a well-balanced squad, consisting of experienced players and young talents. The team is led by Faf Du Plessis and coached by Sanjay Bangar.
Full squad of Royal Challengers Bangalore :
- Mike Hesson – Head Coach
- Virat Kohli – Batsman
- Glenn Maxwell – All-Rounder
- Mohammad Siraj – Bowler
- Faf Du Plessis (c) – Batsman
- Harshal Patel – Bowler
- Wanindu Hasaranga – Bowler
- Dinesh Karthik – Batsman/Wicket-keeper
- Shahbaz Ahemad – All-Rounder
- Rajat Patidar – Batsman
- Anuj Rawat – Batsman/Wicket-keeper
- Akash Deep – Bowler
- Josh Hazlewood – Bowler
- Mahipal Lomror – All-Rounder
- Finn Allen – Batsman/Wicket-keeper
- Suyash Prabhudessai – Batsman
- Karn Sharma – Batsman
- Siddharth Kaul – Bowler
- David Willey – Bowler
- Reece Topley – Bowler
- Himanshu Sharma – Bowler
- Micheal Bracewell – All-Rounder
- Manoj Bhandage – All-Rounder
- Rajan Kumar – Bowler
- Avinash Singh – Bowler
- Sonu Yadav – All-Rounder
Here is their strongest XI:
- Faf Du Plessis (C)
- Virat Kohli
- Rajat Patidar
- Glenn Maxwell
- Mahipal Lomror
- Shahbaz Ahmed
- Dinesh Karthik
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Harshal Patel
- Mohammed Siraj
- Josh Hazlewood
X-Factor
The X-factor players for Royal Challengers Bangalore are Mohammed Siraj and Rajat Patidar. Patidar has been batting with an average of 70 in the past 2 domestic seasons and can win games single-handedly on his day. Siraj, on the other hand, is at the peak of his career and is turning his potential into performance.
Strengths
The Royal Challengers Bangalore team is filled with multi-dimensional and domestic gems. They have players like Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, and Shahbaz Ahmed, who can form the middle order and give at least 8 overs of bowling, adding immense value to the team. They also has good fielders like Virat Kohli, Faf Du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell, which comes in handy in low-scoring games.
Weaknesses
Royal Challengers Bangalore lacks a pure spinner in the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga, and they do not have a backup wicket-taking option in the middle overs. Harshal Patel is also having an issue with his bowling in the death overs, which he needs to work on effectively.
Form
Royal Challengers Bangalore is relying on domestic batters and Glenn Maxwell to hold their middle order together, and they need one of Virat Kohli or Faf Du Plessis to bat through the innings. The availability of Josh Hazlewood is another point of concern, as the Australian cricket board can ask RCB to give him a limited workload.
Chance of winning
The team has a well-balanced team with a mix of experienced players and young talents, making them a strong contender this season. Virat Kohli’s current form is an added advantage for the team. The bowling depth, both in the pace and spin departments, is also a strength for the team. However, the team needs to work on their weaknesses and rely less on individual performances. Given their strengths and weaknesses, the team is predicted to end up at number 2 in the points table and qualify for the finals. Virat Kohli is expected to be their best batter, while Mohammed Siraj is predicted to be their top wicket-taker.
Schedule
RCB will play their first match against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 25.
RCB’s schedule for IPL 2023 is as follows:
| Match No. | Day | Date | Opponent Team | Time (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Sunday | 02-Apr-23 | MI | 7:30 PM | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 9 | Thursday | 06-Apr-23 | KKR | 7:30 PM | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 15 | Monday | 10-Apr-23 | RCB | 7:30 PM | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 20 | Saturday | 15-Apr-23 | DC | 3:30 PM | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 24 | Monday | 17-Apr-23 | CSK | 7:30 PM | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 27 | Thursday | 20-Apr-23 | PBKS | 3:30 PM | PCA Stadium, Mohali |
| 32 | Sunday | 23-Apr-23 | RR | 3:30 PM | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 36 | Wednesday | 25-Apr-23 | KKR | 7:30 PM | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 43 | Monday | 01-May-23 | LSG | 7:30 PM | Ekana Stadium, Lucknow |
| 49 | Wednesday | 06-May-23 | DC | 7:30 PM | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| 50 | Saturday | 09-May-23 | MI | 3:30 PM | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 54 | Tuesday | 14-May-23 | RR | 7:30 PM | Sawai Maansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 65 | Thursday | 18-May-23 | SRH | 7:30 PM | Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad |
| 70 | Sunday | 21-May-23 | GT | 7:30 PM | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
The team has a well-balanced team with a mix of experienced players and young talents. The team has the potential to win the league, but they need to work on their weaknesses and rely less on individual performances. With Virat Kohli’s current form and bowling depth, RCB is predicted to end up at number 2 in the points table and qualify for the finals in TATA IPL 2023.
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