IPL 2018: 5 players RCB should pursue next year to fill voids in their team

Royal Challengers Bangalore is one of the three teams which hasn't won a single IPL title in 11 years. The Bangalore-based side has always had the biggest stars in their team but has somehow unperformed in crucial situations.

Virat Kohli has led the team for the past six years and has had multiple shots at the title. He came the closest in 2016 when his batting powered the team to the finals of the competition. RCB, this year, changed the strategy slightly but little changed for them on the ground.

Bangalore had one of the best batting sides in the tournament. The likes of McCullum, De Kock, Kohli and De Villiers bolster RCB's batting but the problem this year too has been their bowling. Bowlers have leaked way too many runs and the team needs some reinforcements in the bowling department for 2019.

Another area where RCB could improve is their batting in the death overs. Sarfraz Khan has performed poorly and the team requires a finisher to give the final flourish to the team's batting.

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#5 T Natarajan

Natarajan is one of the best bowlers in T20s in India

Natarajan shot into the limelight after a stunning year in the 2016 Tamilnadu Premier League. He was selected by the Kings XI Punjab team for the 2017 IPL.

Natarajan was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad this year but the team boasts of the best domestic names in its bowling department and it is extremely unlikely that Natarajan will get a game for the side next year as well.

On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore have been struggling with their second Indian pacer. Both Khejroliya and Siraj have leaked away runs and have been inconsistent.

Natarajan has a slingy action which makes him a bowler who is difficult to pick by batsmen. He has the ability to bowl toe-crushing yorkers and is an accurate bowler. He is a wicket-taking bowler and will be an ideal death bowler for RCB to target for next year.

#4 Manoj Tiwary

Tiwary is a talented middle-order batsman

Manoj Tiwary is one of the unluckiest players in the Indian set-up right now. He was in the pink of his form in 2007 and got a chance to play for the Indian team in the Bangladesh series just after the World Cup. Had he played in that series he might have well been a star now. But he fractured his hand while playing football in a practice session and has struggled to find a place in the Indian team.

Tiwary was picked by Kings XI Punjab in this year's auction, and unfortunately for him, the Punjab team is filled with some swashbuckling batsmen and it is unlikely that he will be used by the team next year.

Royal Challengers Bangalore is unable to get the best out of Sarfraz and is in need of a finisher. Tiwary will act as an ideal foil for the attacking four of RCB. He can steady the innings in the middle and can provide the final flourish for the Bangalore team. RCB could look to exchange a benched player for Manoj Tiwary.

#3 JP Duminy

Duminy is yet to play a single match this year

JP Duminy started his IPL career with the Mumbai Indians in the first edition of the competition. He then moved around, and was also the captain of Delhi Daredevils team for a year. He returned to the Mumbai side this year.

Duminy has the ability to play both the aggressive game as well as the waiting game. He can easily complement the firepower of RCB's top 4 with his calm and composed batting in the middle. He can play the sheet anchor role in the middle overs and can hit the big shots in the final overs.

Bangalore has been struggling with its middle order as none of the players supported De Villiers, a gap that Duminy can fill adequately.

Mumbai might like to have a quality spinner option in their team as Markande faded in the latter half of the competition and they don't seem to have enough confidence on the young Rahul Chahar and hence Murugan Ashwin can be exchanged for JP Duminy.

#2 Basil Thampi

Thampi and Umesh Yadav would form a potent bowling combination

Basil Thampi is one of the best bowlers in domestic cricket in India and is a part of an impressive bowling attack in Sunrisers Hyderabad. He is among the best T20 bowlers in the country and will be a great addition to any team.

Hyderabad has plenty of ammunition in the fast bowling department with the likes of Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma and T Natarajan in their fold. With such an impressive line up of fast bowlers, the team is unlikely to use Thampi effectively.

Thampi is a brilliant bowler and it is only fair that he gets to play a few matches for some other team. RCB is on the lookout for a quality death bowler and if they could get the services of Thampi it would help the side perform better.

Sunrisers Hyderabad struggled with their batting and hence RCB can exchange a quality batsman like McCullum for a bowler like Thampi and it would help both the teams solve their problems.

#1 David Miller

Miller is one of the best finishers in T20s

David Miller has been the most important player for Kings XI Punjab over the years and he was retained by the team using their Right To Match card. This year, though, has been completely different for the South African batsman.

Miller has not been included in the side, and with Gayle also striking form, he is unlikely to get much game time next year as well. He is one of the biggest strikers of the ball and will be an ideal finisher for any team.

Punjab has several big hitters in their side and they have preferred to go with Finch and Stoinis, while RCB has struggled with their finishers. Miller can make a huge difference to the RCB side and having him would make the RCB batting line-up even more impressive.