3 players who can replace Brendon McCullum at RCB

As the fans get acquainted with all the exercises of the trade window ahead of the IPL 2019 auction, a few big names have already started grabbing the headlines for their exclusions by the respective franchises.

Among the many high-profile releases is New Zealand's former skipper, Brendon McCullum. Omitted by Royal Challengers Bangalore, McCullum is likely to don new colours once again in the upcoming edition of the tournament.

The 2018 auction saw three teams compete to purchase the dashing batsman before RCB walked away with the final honours, spending 3.6 crores. Given his blazing heroics at the Chinnaswamy stadium in the inaugural game of the IPL, much was expected of McCullum in 2018. However, much to the disappointment of his fans, the New Zealander failed with the bat for the men in red and ended up scoring just 127 runs in 6 outings, with a top score of 43.

Now, with McCullum and Quinton de Kock released, RCB would be looking to place its bets on bankable and dashing batsmen who would provide the much-needed firepower at the top of the order. Here are 3 suitable replacements for Brendon McCullum, who might just be able to give the bang for the buck for RCB.

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#3 Alex Hales

Alex Hales has been a solid opener for England in the recent past

In the recent past, Alex Hales has been one of England's most prolific run-scorers in the white-ball formats. Forging a formidable combination with Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow, the tall Englishman has been one of the main reasons behind England's boisterous in the limited over formats.

Representing Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018, Hales came as a replacement for David Warner. However, the 29-year-old couldn't quite replicate Warner's dynamism as an opener and could manage just 148 runs in 6 games for the orange army, thereby prompting the franchise to release him for the next year.

But given his prowess with the bat, Hales would certainly be looking to make amends in the upcoming edition. A big-hitter, who could single-handedly change the dynamics of an innings on his day, the opening batsman would certainly be on the radar of RCB in the auction.

#2 Jason Roy

Jason Roy

Over the past few years, Jason Roy has made a mark as one of the most destructive opening batsmen in the current age. Equipped with an incredible ability to breathe fire right from the word go, Roy is often seen as a daunting opponent who can get his team off to flying starts.

Taking rapid strides in the limited overs formats, Roy has turned himself into a vital cog of the English team in ODIs and T20s. Thanks to his hard-hitting abilities, the South-African born is a popular buy in T20 tournaments all over the world. In 27 T20 games this year, the 28-year-old has amassed 627 runs at a super impressive strike rate of 149.64.

Released by Delhi Daredevils, Roy, with all his belligerence and ferocity, would be a good option for Royal Challengers Bangalore to fill in the void created by Brendon McCullum.

#2 Aaron Finch

Aaron Finch has been one of the T20 format's highest run-getters this yeat

Strong, solid and sedate, Australia's Aaron Finch comes as a bankable choice to open an innings in the limited overs game. A popular name in T20 leagues all across the globe, Finch currently stands as the second highest run-getter in T20s in 2018.

A big-hitter capable of playing long innings, the 31-year-old is a household name in T20 cricket. Barring his dismal form at the Kings XI Punjab camp this year, Finch has had a successful run while representing Australia, Melbourne Renegades and Surrey this year. The man from Victoria also holds the record for the highest individual score in a T20 international.

Currently, leading the Aussies in the T20 format, Finch also has considerable experience playing the IPL. And given his run-scoring ability and stature in the game's shortest format, the right-handed batsman wouldn't be a bad option at all to replace Brendon McCullum for RCB.