IPL 2018: A look at how RCB could line-up this season

Royal Challengers Bangalore, the three-time IPL runners-up, have managed to assemble a formidable squad consisting of a good mixture of Indian and foreign players and one that possesses the wisdom of experience and the exuberance of youth.

Traditionally RCB has boasted of a power-packed batting line-up with a formidable top four. Even this time around they have multiple options for all batting positions right from the opening slot down to No.7.

It is RCB’s bowling that was always a weak link in the past seasons. But this time around the team management clearly went into the auctions with a strategy of strengthening their bowling line-up and they seem to have been pretty successful in that.

They have bagged some very good T20 bowlers who have impressive records in the shorter format all over the world. In fact, they have bought all the four bowlers who were the wreckers-in-chief when KKR had bowled them for 49 last season!

Royal Challengers have also got a good mix of all-rounders in their squad, something which was a rarity in earlier seasons.

Given the pleasant team selection head-ache that RCB has, it would be interesting to see what Daniel Vettori and Virat Kohli think the ideal line-up would be.

Here we look at the possible starting XI for the Royal Challengers.

---

#1 Quinton De Cock

De Kock has the capability to give the team a quick start

The explosive South African wicket-keeper batsman, who has a phenomenal ODI record, had a very good run with the Delhi Daredevils in the past.

He has the ability to give a quick start to his team and can also bat big. His 51-ball 108 in IPL 2016 against his current franchise is his most remarkable knock which helped Delhi Daredevils overhaul a target of 192 with ease.

De Kock is a good wicket-keeper especially in T20s and would be more than valuable to RCB’s fortunes in IPL 2018.

Although Brendon McCullum is another option which RCB have, given the fact that he has not kept wickets recently (and has batted in the middle order in the ongoing PSL), De Kock would be the ideal choice to open the innings.

RCB would be hoping for De Kock to score big in the power-play so that the middle order can capitalise and put up huge totals especially on the smallish Chinnaswamy ground where runs are pretty easy to come by.

IPL stats

Matches 26, Runs 726, Average 29.04, Strike Rate 132.24, 100s 1, 50s 5

#2 Manan Vohra

Vohra was

bought

in for 1.1 Crores

RCB have quite a few Indian options to open the innings alongside De Kock. Parthiv Patel has opened the innings for Mumbai Indians with modest success. The Indian captain Virat Kohli is another option.

But given that there aren’t many Indian players who could bat in the middle overs, RCB may prefer to go with Manan Vohra at the top (thereby allowing Kohli to bat at No.3) given his decent IPL record.

Manan Vohra, who was bought for 1.1 crore, has scored three fifties opening the innings and has a career strike rate of 132 in IPL.

The 24-year old has played some excellent knocks in the past playing for King XI Punjab including his stunning knock of 95 off 50 balls in IPL 2017 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad which came in a losing cause.

IPL stats

Matches 45, Runs 957, Average 24.54, Strike Rate 132.73, 100s 0, 50s 3

#3 Virat Kohli

Kohli would be hoping to replicate the form he showed in 2016

The RCB skipper, who scored a record-breaking 973 runs in IPL 2016 and majority of them opening the innings, would be equally effective batting at No. 3, something which he has done with a lot of success playing for India.

He has the unique ability to quickly put the pressure on the bowlers early in their spell which in turn helps other batsmen to score freely.

Kohli, who is the costliest RCB player at 17 Crores, would be hoping to replicate his astonishing 2016 season and guide his team to the coveted trophy for the very first time.

IPL stats

Matches 149, Runs 4418, Average 37.44, Strike Rate 129.84, 100s 4, 50s 30

#4 AB De Villiers

De Villiers has forged some huge partnerships with Kohli in the past

Mr. 360 is the perfect No.4 for RCB. In tough situations, he can counter-attack and get the team out of a hole and in situations where the openers have given a good start he can capitalise and score runs at a rapid pace.

ABD has a phenomenal IPL strike rate of 148 and has forged some huge partnerships with Kohli in the past.

IPL stats

Matches 129, Runs 3473, Average 38.16, Strike Rate 148.17, 100s 3, 50s 22

#5 Sarfaraz Khan

RCB would want Sarfaraz to score some crucial knocks this season

Sarfaraz Khan, who was surprisingly retained by RCB for 1.75 crore, would be trusted upon to do the job at No.5 ahead of the likes of Pavan Deshpande and Mandeep Singh.

Although he did not have a great domestic season in 2017-18, the young batsman has shown in the past how effective he can be with the willow in hand.

He has an astonishing strike rate of 173 in IPL! Some of the blistering cameos that he played in IPL 2015/16 are a testimony to his unique hitting abilities.

But RCB would be hoping Khan not just plays those cameos but when needed steps up and plays some crucial knocks taking his team across the finish line.

IPL stats

Matches 18, Runs 177, Average 29.50, Strike Rate 173.52, 100s 0, 50s 0

#6 Colin De Grandhomme

De Grandhomme can hit the ball fair distance out of the boundary

Given that Kohli loves fast-bowling all-rounders, which is evident for his liking towards Hardik Pandya in the Indian team, the RCB captain will definitely go in with the New Zealand all-rounder.

De Grandhomme is very handy with the bat coming in at No.6 and tanks the ball a fair distance out of the boundary.

Moeen Ali, the spin-bowling all-rounder may not get to play much in this IPL. De Grandhomme bowls at a decent pace and can almost always give a couple of good overs to his captain.

Although he does not have a great IPL record, he has been in great form for the Kiwis off late and would be hoping to make a huge contribution to his new franchise.

IPL stats

Matches 12, Runs 126, Average 15.75, Strike Rate 136.96, 100s 0, 50s 0, HS 36

Wickets 4, Average 33.75, Economy Rate 8.44, BBI 4/3

#7 Chris Woakes

Enter caption

Chris Woakes, the costliest buy for RCB at this year’s auction at 7.4 crore, is a very skillful T20 bowler.

He can bowl a tidy line and length at the start of the innings and can be mightily effective in the death overs with his variations and deadly yorkers.

He will most likely open the bowling for RCB and will be entrusted with the responsibility to make early inroads.

RCB have another bowling option in Nathan Coulter-Nile who might not feature in the playing XI in every game because of the four foreign player rule but he will get the odd game in favourable conditions.

Woakes is also very good with the bat and has played some good knocks down the order for England in the recent past.

He has a career strike rate of 136 in T20s batting at five or six. His numbers are even more impressive at the international level where he strikes at 144 and has a batting average of 30 in eight T20Is.

IPL stats

Matches 13, Wickets 17, Average 22.71, Economy Rate 8.77, BBI 6/3

Runs 46, Average 11.5, Strike Rate 97.87, 100s 0, 50s 0, HS 18

#8 Washington Sundar

Sundar had a breakout season in the last edition of the IPL

The teenage sensation, Washington Sundar, should surely feature in the starting XI ahead of another young all-rounder Pawan Negi.

The Tamil Nadu lad had a very good run in IPL 2017 playing for the Rising Pune Supergiant. Although he didn’t bag many wickets, an economy of 6.4, mostly bowling in the power-play overs is a testimony to his bowling skills.

He has been in incredible form in the ongoing Nidahas trophy where he has picked seven wickets from four games at an economy of under six.

This experience will definitely help him to perform at his best for RCB. Although a very good batsman,

Sundar is unlikely to get many batting opportunities at No. 8. But whenever he gets one, he will be eager to contribute to his team.

IPL stats

Matches 11, Wickets 8, Average 23.12, Economy Rate 6.17, BBI 16/3

#9 Navdeep Saini

Saini had a fantastic 2017-18 Ranji season

The 25-year old Delhi speedster bowled superbly in the 2017-18 Ranji Season picking 34 wickets in eight games and was instrumental in Delhi reaching the final.

Saini was picked for a very good price of 3 crore, up from his base price of 20 lakh. He will definitely form the core bowling attack for RCB ahead of the likes of Mohammed Siraj.

Although he has not played in IPL before, he has some good T20 numbers picking 13 wickets in 14 games at an economy of six.

T20 stats

Matches 14, Wickets 13, Average 25.30, Economy Rate 6.03, BBI 28/3

#10 Umesh Yadav

The expectation would be high for Umesh Yadav at RCB

Umesh Yadav, who was bought for 4.2 crore, will share the opening bowling duties with Chris Woakes.

Although an inconsistent bowler, he is definite to start in the line-up given Kohli’s liking for raw pace.

Yadav can consistently bowl at 140s and at times can swing the bowl causing trouble to the batsman. Expectations would be high from this IPL veteran who is nearing 100 wickets.

IPL stats

Matches 94, Wickets 91, Average 29.75, Economy Rate 8.4, BBI 24/4

#11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Chahal has been one of India's most successful bowlers in recent times

N0. 11 in the line-up will be the leggie, who has impressed everyone with his attacking bowling.

Chahal has been a star performer for RCB in the past because of which he was bought through the right-to-match card for a fair amount of 6.4 crore.

Playing majority of his games at the batting track at Chinnaswamy, he has done an incredible job for his side picking wickets regularly and even containing the batsmen (has an economy of just 7.9) to stem the flow of runs.

IPL stats

Matches 56, Wickets 70, Average 22.41, Economy Rate 7.9, BBI 25/4