IPL 2022: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) SWOT Analysis

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) announced Faf du Plessis as their new skipper ahead of IPL 2022 to a jam-packed crowd in Bengaluru on February 12. The hope is that a new just might lead the franchise to that elusive IPL title.

There was a lot of fanfare as 'RCB Unbox', as they called it, saw their new jersey being revealed. It also had some new (and old) faces from the side greeting their fanbase that's been equally starved of an IPL trophy.

Ahead of the start of the marquee tournament, the familiar question of "Is this side good enough?" arises. In one word, the answer would be yes, at least on paper. Much like the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Bangalore boasts of being a formidable unit on paper.

Here's a quick look at the RCB squad for IPL 2022:

Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Faf du Plessis (c), 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

Their IPL 2022 auction may not have been a shopping spree for the franchise. But they'll be quietly pleased with their buys while also hoping that their major million-dollar acquisitions will deliver.

This article attempts to provide a comprehensive SWOT analysis of the side ahead of IPL 2022. To list the positives first, we begin with the strengths:

To see IPL Team Owners 2022, click here.

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RCB in IPL 2022: Strengths

#1 The side has a technically astute skipper in Faf du Plessis.

Former South African skipper Faf du Plessis is no stranger to the IPL and certainly not to leading IPL teams. Speculation was rife that he was picked by RCB at the IPL 2022 Auction as one of the candidates to lead the new-look side.

This eventually proved to be true when the franchise announced du Plessis as their new IPL captain. His captaincy is a lot more strategic compared to his predecessor Virat Kohli. The South African batter is the fourth international cricketer to lead Bangalore in the IPL.

Du Plessis' attacking captaincy and his ability to read the game efficiently adds to the Challengers' strengths this season. Couple this with the fact that he played most of his IPL under India's talismanic former skipper, MS Dhoni. Hence, there's sure to be some MS-thinking that might be seen in their IPL 2022 campaign.

There's also du Plessis the batter, that bodes well for RCB. He was incredible with the bat in CSK's title-winning run last season. He scored 633 runs from 16 matches, including six fifties, the most in his IPL career so far.

His IPL career has seen him stack up 2935 runs from 100 innings at a strike rate of 131.09.

#2 Have a reliable opening pair in du Plessis and Virat Kohli

One of the more dependable and explosive opening pairs of IPL 2022, the in-form du Plessis and Kohli will surely be a threat to the opposition. Both these batters have the ability to bat deep into the innings, while also finding the fence quite regularly.

The idea would be for one of them to bat through the innings, while the other sets the tone with a well-constructed knock in the powerplay. Bangalore will hope that these two do the bulk of the scoring, with Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik applying the finishing touches.

#3 Well-rounded pace unit

RCB have never had a solid bowling attack to complement their world-class batting unit. However, they seem to have a rather well-rounded and competitive bowling unit this time around.

With Mohammed Siraj and Josh Hazlewood sharing the new ball, they are assured of eight decent overs, especially in the powerplay.

Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed and Karn Sharma will add teeth to the spin department, while Harshal Patel will be their mid and death-overs specialist. The likes of Jason Behrendorff, Chama Milind and David Willey will add more depth to the squad, making them a tough bowling side to beat.

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RCB in IPL 2022: Weaknesses

#1 RCB still have a vulnerable No. 3 and No. 5 spot

While they may have set the opening order, Bangalore will still have to address their No. 3 and No. 5 conundrums ahead of IPL 2022. Whether this would mean getting Anuj Rawat to open alongside du Plessis and slot Kohli at his familiar No. 3 remains to be seen.

Their No. 5, which in all probability will be Hasaranga, is an untested commodity in the high-octane tournament. This makes it difficult to assess how much of a finisher he could be to bridge between Maxwell and Karthik.

#2 Virat Kohli's dipped form will be a cause for concern

Although one can't discount Virat Kohli at any stage of an innings, his recent dip in runs will be a wee bit of a headache for the side. However, Kohi's T20I average is still a healthy 51.50.

Should he have a torrid IPL with the bat, the onus will be on their big names to step up.

RCB in IPL 2022: Opportunities

#1 Harshal Patel and Wanindu Hasaranga will look for extended success

Harshal Patel finished as the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2021 with 32 wickets to his name. He was tied with Dwayne Bravo for most IPL wickets in a season. After being reacquired by RCB during the IPL 2022 Auction, the intent will be to have another wicket-filled season.

Wanindu Hasaranga was Sri Lanka's trump card in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2021. He ended the tournament as the highest wicket-taker with 16 wickets. His ability as a bowling allrounder saw Bangalore choose him over their long-playing leggie, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Although Hasaranga played just two games in the IPL for the Challengers last season, there has been faith that an extended run will reap dividends.

#2 Chance for new and experienced faces to make an impact

The likes of Shahbaz Ahmed and Dinesh Karthik harbor hopes of donning the India blue. A chance to be part of a side gunning for their elusive IPL championship could be the much-needed motivation the side needs.

Ahmed was crucial for the side last season, delivering some tight overs and being a safe pair of hands on the field. Karthik, an IPL veteran, will look to make his case for the T20 World Cup later this year with his finishing skills. They may have been on the wane during his time with KKR but he has a shot to prove himself again.

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RCB in IPL 2022: Threats

#1 The weight of expectations can bring the side down

The side splurged heavily on Hasaranga and Patel (both were acquired for ₹10.75 cr each). There is always a chance that it plays on the back of the players' minds. This could be a threat the side could face in the tournament.

#2 Coronavirus and injuries

While cricket may have resumed during a pandemic, the still rampant virus can be a setback for any team. Add to this the injuries that are part of the sport, a well-positioned RCB can suffer if any of their key players end up injured on the field.