3 reasons why RCB should look to sign Akeal Hosein at the IPL 2022 Auction

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega-auction is set to be held this weekend (12 and 13 February) in Bengaluru. The tournament will head into its 15th edition this year.

The West Indians have always been a huge part of the IPL even though some of their players from the golden era of T20 cricket might have moved on. The ongoing limited-overs series between India and the West Indies will allow a new crop of players to make their mark.

Akeal Hosein will be one of those Windies players who will be keen to impress ahead of the IPL Auction. The Trinidadian has made a name for himself primarily as a bowler, who can also hit it a long way with the bat.

On the eve of the second ODI, Hosein was asked if he was thinking about his big-ticket to the IPL. The 28-year old stated that he's not thinking too far ahead and is looking to keep the ODI series alive. Here's what he had to say in a virtual media interaction on the eve of the second ODI:

"Yes, we know, the IPL is the best league around. But I'm not really focused on that (IPL). The task at hand right now is these two games. They are very important for me, because it will determine the series."

Hosein added:

"Having said that, I think once I do the right things and perform well for my team, the doors will open. For me, it's all about these two games and winning this ODI series."

It is worth noting that West Indies ended up losing the second ODI by 44 runs yesterday, giving India an unassailable 2-0 lead.

The focus will very much be on grabbing a consolation win in the final game and the players will be aware that a good performance might open doors for them in the IPL. In this article, we take a look at three reasons why the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) should look to sign Akeal Hosein.

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3 reasons why Royal Challengers Bangalore should look to sign Akeal Hosein at the IPL 2022 Auction

#1 Hosein is a powerplay specialist

In the 18 T20I matches he has played for his nation, Akeal Hosein has 15 wickets to his name. His economy rate of seven at a strike rate of 20 is mighty impressive, considering the fact that he tends to bowl a couple of overs in the powerplay, a dreaded task for spinners.

In previous seasons, Virat Kohli has turned to Washington Sundar to play that role for their side, but Sundar has never gotten a consistent run. Hosein is somewhat of a specialist in that role and the Challengers also need a quality left-arm spinner in their ranks.

Over the last three CPL seasons, he has an economy rate of 5.56 in the first six overs. A lesser-known fact is that the Trinidadian started off as a left-arm wrist spinner before switching to finger spin.

The 28-year-old relies on his bag of tricks to keep the batters on their toes. He's got a sharp in-swinger with the new ball, to compliment other variations like the carrom ball, knuckle ball and the more conventional arm-ball.

Akeal Hosein was the second-highest wicket-taker in the recent T20I series against England, picking up eight wickets. He will be looking to make his mark in the upcoming T20I series against India as well.

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#2 A tonker down the order

Like most typical West Indians, Akeal Hosein is no mug with the bat. The southpaw is a capable hitter for a lower-order batter and his recent display against England stands as evidence of his batting prowess.

With 30 runs needed in the final over in the second T20I, Hosein smashed 28 runs off Saqib Mahmood. The hosts went on to lose the game by a solitary run but Hosein proved that he can be a more than capable hitter at the death.

We've seen the Kolkata Knight Riders appoint Sunil Narine as a pinch-hitter at the top of the order in previous seasons. While that gave rise to mixed results, it allowed KKR to make the most of the powerplay when he did manage to kick things off.

RCB could look to do something similar with Hosein, who could follow in the footsteps of his fellow Trinidadian.

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#1 Akeal Hosein is fantastic fielder and could become a fan favorite

Akeal Hosein recently stated that he sees himself as a total all-rounder. His recent run of impressive performances earned him a call-up for the West Indian squad at last year's T20 World Cup as a replacement for Fabian Allen. He took five wickets in as many games at an economy of 7.00 in the tournament.

While his batting can be more than a handful in the shortest format, Akeal Hosein is also an exceptional fielder, a less appreciated aspect of any player's game.

Not only does Hosein have a bunch of variations when it comes to his bowling, the all-rounder also has a bag of celebrations to unleash. That is something that the IPL and Chinaswamy faithful generally love to see.