3 reasons why signing Kedar Jadhav is a good move for RCB in IPL 2023

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have announced the signing of Kedar Jadhav as a replacement pick for David Willey. The team made the announcement on Monday, stating that the English all-rounder had to fly home because of an injury. The left-arm seamer has been ruled out due to a fractured toe after copping a blow on his toe by a yorker from Andre Russell. His replacement, Jadhav, has played for RCB in the 2016 and 2017 seasons, featuring in 17 matches for the franchise.

Making his debut in 2010, he also played for the Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The 38-year-old didn't feature in the IPL in 2022 and went unsold in this year's auction.

He's now back in the mix for Bangalore as they look to address some of their issues. On that note, let's take a look at why signing Kedar Jadhav is a good move for RCB:

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#1 RCB's middle order has been struggling this season

It's no hidden secret that RCB are over-reliant on their big three - Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell - this season. The captain is leading the way with 422 runs in the tournament, with Kohli and Maxwell not far behind with 333 and 258 runs, respectively.

However, Dinesh Karthik is their fourth-highest run-scorer this season with 83 runs. As it stands, that is an area of genuine concern for the side. Jadhav could add some firepower to this middle order that is in dire need of runs if they are to stay in the hunt for the playoffs.

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#2 Jadhav brings some experience to the side

With the four leading run scorers for the franchise in this year's tournament bringing plenty of experience, the likes of Mahipal Lomror and Suyash Prabhudessai haven't really been able to put in the performances expected of them.

RCB are heading into a run of five away games in the tournament, starting against the Lucknow Super Giants on May 1. With the pressure of these big games, while the team needs to keep finding ways to win, Jadhav's experience could certainly contribute to the team.

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#3 He can provide enough value as an all-rounder

Shahbaz Ahmed was one of the brighter stars for RCB in IPL 2022, chipping in with performances in both departments. He scored 219 runs last season, averaging 27.38 at a strike rate of 120.99, doing a fairly good job as a floater in the batting order. He also took four wickets last season, albeit with an economy rate of 9.60.

This year, Shahbaz has scored only 42 runs in 8 innings, averaging 10.50 at a strike rate of 107.69. He is yet to take a wicket and has only bowled four overs with an economy rate of 14.25. Bangalore need another quality Indian all-rounder in the mix, and Kedar Jadhav could be their answer to that.