4 ex-RCB players who could return to the franchise for IPL 2019

The Royal Challengers Bangalore have been one of the most popular teams in the IPL. They have had star players from the first edition of the IPL and continue to do so. But for several reasons they have not been able to go the full distance even once and are often subjected to criticism for the lack of silverware.

The side has been led by Virat Kohli for several years now and the current Indian captain has evolved along with the franchise.

The side has not been able to find the right balance and struggled in the last season too. Owing to this, there is a possibility that the franchise might go back to some of its previous players. With the likes of Brendon McCullum and Sarfaraz Khan gone, the side has lost both experience and flair.

Corey Anderson and Chris Woakes were two all-round options, and although Marcus Stoinis has been brought in, the middle-order still looks a little fragile.

Here are four players who could be in the reckoning for a comeback:

#1 Jaydev Unadkat

Jaydev Unadkat was in sensational form in 2017

The left-arm pacer is a changed man from the lanky rookie who debuted for India way back in 2010. He was a replacement for a one-off Test for Zaheer Khan, but made his re-entry into the Indian team properly only in 2017 after sporadic appearances in the middle.

He was on song during the 2017 season of the IPL while playing for the Rising Pune Supergiant under the captaincy of Steve Smith. He took 24 wickets from 12 games including a hat-trick.

Unadkat was bought for a whopping Rs. 11.5 crore by the Rajasthan Royals but couldn't create much buzz.

RCB have always required a death bowler and an improved Unadkat could be able to assist Umesh Yadav, who relies more on pace than movement.

#2 Moises Henriques

Moises Henriques with Virat Kohli

The Portuguese-born Australia all-rounder is quite useful in the T20 format, owing to the contributions he can provide with both bat and ball. A measure batsman who can use the long handle later on in the innings, Henriques had been a fixture of the Sunrisers Hyderabad before going unsold this year.

He has played for the RCB in 2013 but did not have a great time, scoring 165 runs in 10 games and picking up 7 wickets. He has become more assured with his skills since then and can help the team get more options in the all-rounders department, apart from being a dependable batsman who can play in the top-4 or even lower down the order.

#3 Daniel Christian

Dan Christian is known for his T20 prowess

He's a T20 veteran and knows the game very well. Even though he has not been hugely successful in the Indian Premier League, his experience counts a lot with his bowling at the death. He can also be a useful batsman who can hit the ball high and wide.

He barely had time to showcase his talent with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013 where he played just 2 games. He did not pick up a single wicket in those two games.

With the need to strengthen the middle and lower middle order, Christian can chip in with some useful scores and also bowl in the middle and death.

#4 Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh played for RCB in 2014

The veteran all-rounder was the hero of the 2011 World Cup but, the next few years were a testing period for him as he was diagnosed with cancer. He returned with a bang, and got some huge deals in the IPL.

In 2014, he was acquired for a record Rs. 14 crores by the RCB but could not create much of an impact. He was then purchased by Delhi Daredevils for Rs. 16 crores in 2015.

Now having lost his sheen, Yuvraj was let go by the Kings XI Punjab and will be part of the auction pool. If the RCB decided to strengthen their middle-order with experience and decide to bring in a mentor in the team, Yuvraj Singh could be the answer.

It remains to be seen how he adapts to the game - he will be 37 next year and has not been playing regularly.

Apart from being an asset to any T20 side, he is also a famous personality and adds to the brand value of the franchise.