IPL 2020: 3 players who could come back to RCB this season

The Indian Premier League (IPL) spares no one. The reputation of many gets made or broken in the most popular T20 franchise league in the world. A classic example of this would be Virat Kohli. The star batsman who has made breaking records across formats a habit hasn’t been able to figure out how to win an IPL trophy.

He looks hapless and confused at times leading an RCB side that promises a lot on paper but just doesn’t deliver when it matters. As a franchise, they have been found wanting especially in the bowling department. While they have had world-class batsmen that have ensured they have such a strong fan base, but that hasn’t resulted in much happiness as far success as a team goes.

The fans of the franchise who have been so loyal to them despite so many heartburns would hope that 2020 would be their year. Virat Kohli led RCB released a slew of big-ticket players ahead of this year’s players auction. They have got sufficient funds to bulk up and strengthen their squad for the next season.

Also see – World Test Championship points table

But keeping in mind the gaps this team needs to fill up and the form of some players they released, here’s looking at three players who were released by RCB who could come back into their team for IPL 2020:

Shimron Hetmyer (West Indies)

Shimron Hetmyer

A lot of noise was made before the start of IPL 2019 about Shimron Hetmyer’s inclusion into the RCB setup. With the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Moeen Ali and Marcus Stoinis already in the mix, Hetmyer was considered the perfect solution to end RCB’s middle order worries.

Sadly, that was not the case as the flamboyant Windies batsman failed to counter the spinners on his first experience in Indian conditions. Opposition used his weakness against spin to the fullest and bought on a spinner almost as soon the batsman came into the crease.

But in the past 2-3 months leading into the T20I series against India that concluded 2-1 in India's favour, the Windies batsman looked really fluent and displayed his potential. He has noticeably improved his play against spinners as he has targeted Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav in this series.

The youngster needs to hold his nerve, as he gets in and looks set to score big but throws his wicket away. If he had stayed with Kieron Pollard for 3-4 overs in Mumbai in the third T20I, things could have been far closer as Hetmyer was dominating India’s spinners. If he can reign himself in and keep control of his emotions, on current form coupled with his proven hitting ability RCB could end up buying Shimron Hetmyer despite him failing to deliver in IPL 2019.

Marcus Stoinis (Australia)

Marcus Stoinis could come back to RCB for IPL 2020

RCB need multipurpose players to bolster their team. They have very few players currently in the players retained for IPL 2020 - Moeen Ali and Shivam Dube. The lack of a quality all-rounder is something they need to address. Too much weight of expectations on the shoulders of Dube and Ali would not do them any good.

Virat Kohli would need someone who has good experience in T20s and is a proven match-winner, someone who can bowl 2-3 overs consistently and bat wherever required. Marcus Stoinis has that ability. He was used mainly as a finisher for RCB in IPL 2019, and his batting did do the talking as he was very effective. Probably, the expectations of him being the death overs bowler proved to be his downfall.

Stoinis as a bowler was below par in IPL 2019. It’s a case of not clearly understanding a bowler’s strength. He is much more potent in the middle overs, wherewith his cutters and slower ones he can curtail the run-flow.

Marcus Stoinis has been a proven match-winner for Melbourne Stars in the BBL. His scintillating form along with skipper Glen Maxwell’s all-round blitz ensured the Stars reached the finals of BBL 2018-2019. In his BBL career, he has amassed 1045 runs in 45 matches at an impressive strike rate of 139.78 along with taking 34 wickets with best figures of 4-11.

If RCB are looking at someone who can hold one end up with the bowl and potentially break partnerships and compliment some of their star batsmen, he should be brought back into the squad. The major reason their new coach Mike Hesson stated for him being released from the squad was his price tag. As apart from that every team needs someone like a Marcus Stoinis who could do both - bat and bowl.

Dale Steyn (South Africa)

RCB need a fully fit and performing Dale Steyn in their team

An exclusion that was on expected lines was of premier South Africa pacer Dale Steyn. He came into the team as a replacement for the ruled-out Nathan Coulter-Nile, only to be injured himself after playing three games. It was a pity for RCB as under Dale Steyn’s leadership the other bowlers seemed to be blossoming and delivering better performances.

South African speedster, Dale Steyn has been in red-hot form in the ongoing Mzansi Super League (MSL). In the first month of the tournament that’s going on amidst the turmoil surrounding the CSA, the right-arm fast bowler has picked 15 wickets at a fabulous average of 15.13. His bowling strike rate of 12.8 is remissent to when Steyn was the premier Proteas pacer.

Steyn recorded his best figures of 3/10 in this week's match between Cape Town Blitz and Tshwane Spartans. He played a huge role in handing the Spartans their first loss of the competition. He had returned with figures of 2/25 in the match against Durban Heat as well. In fact, he has been critical in making sure his team, Cape Town Blitz made it to the finals. The speedster also expressed joy in having dismissed ABD, who he considers the world’s best batsman in the ongoing MSL.

Looking at his consistency in MSL 2019, he is bound to fetch a massive contract at the IPL Auctions. With RCB’s bowling lacking a world-class bowler and also a leader of the pack, considering his consistency and match fitness for Cape Town Blitz in the MSL 2019, RCB should consider buying Steyn back. He seems to be in good fitness and he could add a lot of value to the Virat Kohli-led franchise.