IPL 2018: 5 reasons why RCB can win the title this season

The most competitive T20 cricket league in the world, the Indian Premier League, is all set to light up the stage once again with its 11th edition starting from 7th April 2018. Right from the very first season, RCB have been fan favourites. They are known to play an attacking brand of cricket which justifies their anthem 'Play Bold'.

RCB have always had a star-studded lineup in each and every season of the IPL but still, they couldn't win the IPL in the previous 10 editions. But after the 2018 Auction, it seems that the team has finally found the right balance and will be strong title contenders this season.

Here we take a look at the 5 reasons why this could finally be the year for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

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#1 Virat Kohli

Run Machine Virat Kohli is one of the greatest batsmen the game of cricket has ever seen. This man is already a limited overs legend, having scored 35 ODI centuries, also scoring more than 9000 runs in the process. He has an average of over 50 in all three formats of the game, but what sets him apart is his hunger to improve and to stay at the top of his game.

Kohli has grown a lot in the last one year. After he started captaining India in all three formats of the game, he has matured as a captain whereas his fitness has reached another level. The Delhi batsman can do wonders once he has set his sight on something. He can smash records and can take his game to a level that no one can even imagine.

Take the example of 2016 season of the IPL, where he scored 973 runs at a whopping average of 81 in 16 matches, also scoring four centuries in the process. The 2017 season saw a downfall in his game, but that was majorly due to his fitness issues in the first few matches.

Kohli's bad form in 2017 season had a huge impact on RCB too and they finished at the bottom of the table. He now knows how to control his aggression and use it for his team's betterment.

This matured version of Virat Kohli is something that no other team has, and he looks set to take RCB to its maiden title.

#2 Solid batting line-up

The destructive duo of AB and Virat looks set to end RCB's title drought

RCB are known for their fearless and ruthless batting and when you have two of the world's best batsmen, records are bound to be broken. Mr 360, AB de Villiers is probably the most unorthodox batsman of modern era. AB holds the record for the fastest 50, 100 and 150 in ODI cricket, which is enough to define his potential.

Then you have Virat Kohli in the lineup too. But if this was not enough, RCB have added New Zealand's former skipper Brendon McCullum, South African wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock, veteran Indian wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel and the promising trio of young Indian batsmen Sarfaraz Khan, Manan Vohra and Mandeep Singh to the lineup.

RCB have the right mix of Indian and foreign batsmen and their batting looks solid as ever.

#3 Versatile bowling attack

Chris Woakes will be a key player for RCB

RCB have always been a batting heavy side. They have always believed in scoring as many runs as possible, but so far, that strategy hasn't worked out for them. RCB have failed to win a single title in the past 10 years and a big reason for that has been their bowling.

This year, though, they seem to have accepted the fact that to win an IPL they need to have a good bowling lineup. RCB boast of one of the most versatile bowling attacks of the tournament this season. They have a lethal pace attack with the likes of Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Woakes, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee and Colin de Grandhomme in their ranks.

Whereas they have an equally good spin attack with Yuzvendra Chahal, Pawan Negi and Washington Sundar in the team. RCB have got enough backups in their bowling department and this unit looks solid.

#4 Right balance in the squad

RCB look a balanced side, it won't be easy to beat them

This season RCB finally got their auction plan right. They didn't run after star names but instead looked for the players who could provide a much-needed stability to the team. They spent wisely and created a good mix of talent and experience.

RCB are called by many as the South Africa of IPL because of their tendency to choke at key moments. A big reason that RCB failed on big occasions was excessive pressure on certain star players.

A recent example was the group stage match between RCB and KKR in the 2017 season where RCB were bowled out for just 49 runs even after having the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle and Kedar Jadhav in their lineup.

But this time around, they have gathered an exciting group of bowlers and a talented group of batsmen, more surprisingly they have all of those four bowlers who bowled them out for 49 runs.

This season RCB have got key players and substitutes for almost every position and this will boost their chances of winning IPL 2018.

#5 Legends in support staff

Gray Kirsten's presence in support staff will be a huge advantage

The coaches and support staff play a big role in a team's success. The coaches are vital in laying down strategies for matches and team selection. While playing big tournaments like the IPL, players generally get demotivated or unfit regularly and at that time a coach needs to be very patient and careful with them.

This time, RCB have appointed Daniel Vettori as the Head Coach, a World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten as the Batting Coach and the recently retired Indian veteran Ashish Nehra as the bowling coach. With three legends of the game handling these three important departments, the players need not look beyond their dressing room for guidance.

These legends know the Indian wickets and IPL very well and their inputs will be very important for the team.