IPL 2020: 3 players Royal Challengers Bangalore  should have released

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League will take place in the year 2020. The excitement for the upcoming season has been palpable as all the franchises have revealed the list of the players that they will retain and release. There were a few choices which surprised the fans as the franchises showed no mercy to the last season's under-performers this time around.

Talking about the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Virat Kohli-led franchise grabbed the headlines yesterday by releasing 12 players. RCB ended their association with 5 Indian players and 7 overseas stars ahead of the upcoming edition of IPL. The list includes some big names likes Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Heinrich Klaasen, and Dale Steyn.

The Bangalore-based franchise has a purse of ₹27.90 crores with 18 slots to be filled in the auction. However, the team management could have released 3 out-of-form players before the auction.

This article features the list of those 3 players which the Royal Challengers Bangalore should have released.

Also see - India Bangladesh schedule

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#3 Gurkeerat Singh Mann

Gurkeerat Singh Mann

29-year-old middle-order batsman Gurkeerat Singh Mann has fallen off the Indian team’s radar because of his below-par performances in the domestic circuit. RCB had signed him in 2018 for ₹50 lakhs. However, the Punjab-based player got to play just 3 matches last season.

He made his debut for RCB against the Delhi Capitals and the right-handed batsman could not inspire the team to victory as he lost his wicket in the 19th over of the run chase. RCB lost that match by 16 runs while in the next match, Gurkeerat could not save the day for his team against Rajasthan Royals. Kohli and AB de Villiers had provided a fiery start to RCB but the middle order could not capitalize on the momentum.

Though he played a knock of 65 runs in the team’s last league match, he has struggled to play with consistency. Even in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he has scored 100 runs in 6 matches for Punjab. As RCB have the likes of Shivam Dube and Moeen Ali in their middle order, it would have made sense to release Gurkeerat Singh.

#2 Pawan Negi

Pawan Negi could not justify his talent in either of the two departments.

Royal Challengers Bangalore desperately need an all-rounder who can prove to be dependable lower down the order, whilst chipping in with a few wickets as well. To fulfil their need, the side had retained Pawan Negi, having signed him for ₹1 crore via RTM in last season's auction.

However, this proved to be an error from the team management of RCB, as Negi could not justify his price tag in the seven matches which he played in IPL 2019.

Despite having some good batting skills, Negi managed to score only nine runs in seven matches last season. His bowling was disappointing as well - he bagged 3 wickets after conceding 102 runs at an expensive economy rate of 9.13 runs per over. This eventually led to him being ousted from the playing eleven.

It could have been a good decision for RCB if they had released Negi and freed up a crore to sign an in-form all-rounder for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League.

#1 Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj has failed to fire in the last two seasons

Royal Challengers Bangalore had purchased Mohammed Siraj for a sum of ₹2.2 crores in last years auction with the thought that the right-arm pacer would solve their death bowling woes. Siraj made his IPL debut in the year 2017 for Sunrisers Hyderabad and got 10 wickets from six matches in IPL 2017 which attracted the RCB management towards him.

However, this decision has not proved to be a beneficial one for the three-time runners-up in the past two editions of the IPL.

The fast bowler from Hyderabad got to play 11 matches in IPL 2018 where he grabbed 11 wickets. These numbers are not extraordinary but the team management’s faith in him ensured that he plays for RCB in IPL 2019. However, the 12th edition of IPL proved to be even worse for Siraj.

Playing nine matches, Siraj took seven wickets while leaking 269 runs at a costly economy rate of 9.55 runs per over.

Apart from this, he also dropped some crucial catches in the field. Even if RCB wished to keep him in their IPL 2020 team, they could have released him and bought him for a cheaper price in the auction.