IPL 2021: 3 players who could replace Richardson and Zampa at RCB

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 was marred with player withdrawals due to injury and bubble fatigue, before the tournament was suspended owing to a COVID-19 outbreak in the bio-bubbles. By that time, several foreign stars had chosen to back out, possibly as a safety precaution while India grappled with the deadly second wave of the pandemic.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were not spared either, as their Australian duo of Kane Richardson and Adam Zampa withdrew citing personal reasons. Barely getting game time due to the presence of bigger draws like Kyle Jamieson, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell, the duo perhaps thought it prudent to return to safer environments, as there was not much in the bargain.

RCB have a fairly balanced squad and are well-placed in the competition, although their No. 3 and No. 6 positions are nowhere near cemented. They could also do with another bowling all-rounder, as their Indian bowling contingent does not provide much batting support.

On that note, here are three players who could replace Richardson and Zampa at RCB.

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#3 Evin Lewis

Evin Lewis could be a good bet to force the pace on the slower pitches of the UAE.

Evin Lewis is not a new face in the IPL, having played for the Mumbai Indians in 2018 and 2019.

In the 2018 season, he played 13 games for the five-time IPL champions, scoring 382 runs at a strike rate of 138 at the top of the order. He was unsold in the 2021 IPL auctions, although his striking ability might make him a target of many franchises.

RCB could do with a strong, six-hitting opener to complement Devdutt Padikkal in IPL 2021. The inclusion of Lewis would also give captain Virat Kohli the confidence to drop down to No. 3, creating a formidable middle order of Kohli, Maxwell and De Villiers. As RCB look towards a top-two finish in the IPL, Lewis' explosive starts could only help the team.

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#2 James Vince

James Vince has led the Southern Brave to a stunning comeback this season.

Captain of the top-ranked Southern Brave in the Men's Hundred competition, James Vince is a highly-rated T20 batsman in leagues around the world. An attractive stroke-maker, Vince has typically batted in the top order for Hampshire and England, and could be a smart buy for RCB.

Without much pressure considering RCB's batting riches, Vince could make the No. 3 spot his own, or even form a left-right pairing with Padikkal at the top. Given Kohli's middling returns with the bat in IPL 2021, Vince, with his sizzling form, could take the pressure off the RCB captain and allow him to return to his best.

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#1 David Willey

David Willey has turned into a formidable white-ball all-rounder.

Since his unfortunate exclusion from the 2019 ICC World Cup squad for England, David Willey has looked to prove himself in various T20 appearances across the world. An in-demand bowling all-rounder, Willey has significantly strengthened his batting credentials, recently humiliating England captain Eoin Morgan's team in the Hundred with a terrific 40-ball 81.

Willey could don several roles for RCB, possibly starting with the lower middle order finisher slot, which is currently occupied by one of Dan Christian or Daniel Sams. His power-hitting ability, along with his left-handed batting, mean he could be used as a floater in the RCB batting order as well.

Willey will look to have a stronger impact this year if picked than in his maiden IPL campaign in 2019.