3 best foreign bowlers who have represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL history

Royal Challengers Bangalore have perhaps been the unluckiest franchise in IPL history. Despite having a star-studded line-up every year, the team has not won a single IPL championship in the past 11 years. They have had stars like Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, KL Rahul, Rahul Dravid, Kevin Pietersen, Ross Taylor in their batting ranks, but the bowling department of the team has always let them down.

When the batsmen pile a mountain of runs on the board, it is the responsibility of the bowlers to defend the target well. However, this has not been the case for Royal Challengers Bangalore as their bowling department has been their prime weakness; not that the owners have not invested in their bowling department but the bowlers and the batsmen of RCB have not clicked together.

In this article, we will have a look at the 3 best foreign bowlers who have represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL history:

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#1 Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc played for RCB in IPL 2014 and 2015

In the only two IPL seasons he has played so far, Mitchell Starc had picked 34 wickets in his IPL career lasting 27 matches. He played all the 27 IPL games of his career for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Starc was the lead pacer for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in those 2 seasons but he could not feature in the 2016 and 2017 editions of IPL because of injury. Kolkata Knight Riders picked him for the 2018 edition but his injury did not allow him to turn up for KKR. This year, he had opted out of IPL owing to the upcoming World Cup.

Despite the injury issues he has had, Starc is by far the best foreign bowler who has represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL history.

#2 Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the initial seasons

Dale Steyn, the South African veteran had featured in the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad from 2008 to 10. He had a fine outing in the debut season as he scalped 10 wickets from 10 games. Next year, when the league moved to South Africa because of Lok Sabha elections, Steyn could play only 3 matches and pick 2 wickets in his home conditions.

In 2010, Steyn played all the 15 matches that Royal Challengers Bangalore played and finished with 15 wickets to his name.

The right-arm fast bowler had an economy rate of under 7 in all the 3 seasons he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Bangalore franchise released him ahead of the 2011 edition and looking at Steyn’s performances in the next seasons, the franchise would have regretted a lot for releasing him.

#3 Daniel Vettori

Daniel Vettori had joined the coaching staff of Royal Challengers Bangalore after his retirement

New Zealand's greatest left-arm spinner, Daniel Vettori played two seasons for Royal Challengers Bangalore. He was elected as the captain of the franchise in 2011 before Virat Kohli succeeded him as the skipper. Under Vettori's captaincy, Bangalore had reached their 2nd IPL final in the year 2011. As an individual also, Daniel performed well in 2011.

Nicknamed Martha, the spinner picked 12 wickets with his left-arm orthodox spin at an economy rate of 6.01 in IPL 4.

Next year, he could only pick 5 wickets in 9 matches as he joined the coaching staff of the Royal Challengers Bangalore then. He was the head coach of the franchise from 2014 to 2018. Gary Kirsten replaced him as the head coach for the upcoming IPL season.

Royal Challengers Bangalore will kick off their campaign against the Chennai Super Kings, this Saturday.