IPL: Royal Challengers Bangalore's first ever IPL XI- Where are they now?

Royal Challengers Bangalore is the favorite IPL franchise of majority of cricket fans, but same cricket fans consider Royal Challengers Bangalore as perennial chokers in IPL, since they have lost three IPL finals in 2009,2011 and 2016.

The inaugural edition of IPL was a disappointing one for Royal Challengers Bangalore as they won just four matches and finished at the 7th place, thereby failing to qualify for the semifinals.

Royal Challengers Bangalore played their maiden IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders on 18 April 2008, which is also the first ever IPL match to be played. In their maiden IPL match, Royal Challengers Bangalore lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by a huge margin of 140 runs, and their bowlers were smashed to all corners of the stadium by Brendon McCullum who scored 158 runs of just 73 balls.

Only one player who took the field for Royal Challengers Bangalore in their maiden IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders is now part of Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise currently.

So let us look at the playing XI of Royal Challengers Bangalore, which took the field in their maiden IPL encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders:

#1 Rahul Dravid (C)

Indian legend Rahul Dravid was captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the inaugural edition of IPL and also their best batsman. Dravid finished the tournament as the highest run scorer for RCB, with 371 runs in 14 matches at an average of 28.54 and a strike rate of 125.34. In RCB's maiden IPL match, Dravid did not have a great match and scored just 2 runs off 3 balls, before being dismissed by Ishant Sharma.

Rahul Dravid played for India from 1996 to 2012 and retired from international cricket with more than 10,000 runs in both one-day and test formats. He is widely regarded by many cricket pundits as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of International Cricket. Apart from it, Rahul Dravid was nicknamed as "The Wall of Indian Team" during his playing days because of the tight defensive technique Dravid had, due to which many opposition bowlers found it difficult to dismiss Rahul Dravid.

In IPL, Rahul Dravid was part of RCB from 2008-2011, and then played for Rajasthan Royals from 2011-2013, and finally retired from T20 cricket after the completion of T20 Champions League 2013. After his retirement, Dravid was the coach and mentor of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2014 and Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Currently, Dravid is the coach of India A and India U-19 teams, and recently India won the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2018 under the coaching of Rahul Dravid.

#2 Wasim Jaffer

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Indian domestic cricket legend Wasim Jaffer opened the innings for RCB in their maiden IPL match along with Rahul Dravid. Wasim Jaffer did not have a good match, as he scored just 6 runs off 16 balls and was dismissed by Ashok Dinda. Overall in IPL 2008, Wasim Jaffer scored 115 runs from 6 matches at an average of 19.17 and a strike rate of 116.16.

Wasim Jaffer made his Indian debut in February 2000 against South Africa as a reward for scoring loads of runs in the domestic circuit. But it was only in early 2006 when Virender Sehwag was dropped due to poor form, that Jaffer became a regular member of Indian Test Team. From early 2006-2008, Jaffer was one of India's most consistent batsman in Test cricket and scored double centuries against West Indies and Pakistan.

The emergence of Gautam Gambhir in Test cricket, coupled with Sehwag's return to form in 2008 meant that Jaffer lost his place in the Indian team, and last played for India in April 2008 against South Africa. In IPL, Jaffer only played for RCB franchise from 2008-2009 and played his last IPL match in May 2009 against Rajasthan Royals.

Currently, Wasim Jaffer plays in the domestic circuit for Vidarbha. A few days back, he scored a superb 286 helping Vidarbha win its maiden Irani Trophy.

#3 Virat Kohli

With Harbhajan Singh being bought by Chennai Super Kings in IPL Auctions 2018, current Indian team and RCB captain Virat Kohli is now the only player to have played for same IPL franchise since the inaugural edition of IPL. Even though Shaun Marsh has also played for same IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab since the inaugural edition, but is currently not going to be a part of IPL 2018 as Shaun Marsh went unsold in the recently concluded IPL Auctions.

Kohli did not have a good IPL 2008, mainly because he was shifted up and down the batting order in almost every match for RCB and scored just 165 runs in 13 matches at a poor average of 15, with a strike rate of just above 100. In RCB's maiden IPL match, Kohli was dismissed for just 1 run by Ashok Dinda.

Virat Kohli came into limelight for the first time when India won the ICC U-19 World Cup 2008 under his captaincy. Soon after U-19 World Cup 2008, Kohli made his debut for Indian national team in August 2008 against Sri Lanka and has gone from strength to strength by becoming one of the best batsmen in the world right now in all the 3 formats of the game.

Currently, Virat Kohli is the captain and poster boy of Indian Cricket, apart from being the only batsman in the world to have a batting average of above 50 in all the 3 formats of the game, and is being widely considered by many cricket experts and fans as the guy to break Sachin Tendulkar's batting records in future.

#4 Jacques Kallis

South African legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis played for RCB from 2008-2010 and was one of RCB's most consistent batsman during his time with RCB. Like most RCB batsmen, Jacques Kallis did not have a good IPL 2008 as he scored only 199 runs in 11 matches at an average of 18.09, along with a strike rate of 108.74. In RCB's maiden IPL match, Kallis was dismissed for just 8 runs by Ajit Agarkar and picked up Ricky Ponting's wicket with the ball.

Kallis played for South Africa from 1996 to 2012 and retired from international cricket as the most successful and greatest all-rounder in the history of international cricket in all formats of the game.

In IPL apart from RCB, Kallis also played for Kolkata Knight Riders from 2011-2014 and was one of the chief architects behind Kolkata Knight Riders victory in IPL 2012 final against Chennai Super Kings. Currently, Jacques Kallis is the coach of Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL since 2016.

#5 Cameron White

Ten years back in 2007-08, former Australian batsman Cameron White was one of the hottest properties in T20 cricket going around because of his ability to hit the cricket ball a long distance on a frequent basis, as a result of which he was bought by RCB in IPL Auctions 2008. Sadly White could not leave up to his reputation as a big hitter in IPL 2008 for RCB and scored just 114 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of 111.76

In RCB's first ever IPL match, White had a match to forget as he was smashed for 24 runs with the ball in a solitary over by Brendon McCullum and scored a painful 6 runs off 10 balls before being dismissed by Ajit Agarkar.

Cameron White made his debut for Australia in October 2005 against World XI but has so far failed to establish himself as a regular member of Australian Team due to inconsistent performances.

In IPL apart from playing for RCB from 2008-2010, White also played for now-defunct Deccan Chargers from 2011-2012 and Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2013 and was just recently called back in January 2018 to the Australian ODI team after a gap of 3 years as a replacement for injured Chris Lynn for a home series against England.

#6 Mark Boucher (WK)

The former South African wicketkeeper, Mark Boucher often played a finisher's role for RCB in IPL 2008. In the inaugural edition of IPL, Boucher finished as the second highest run scorer for RCB behind Rahul Dravid, with 225 runs from 10 matches at an average of 32.14 and a strike rate of 127.12. In RCB's maiden IPL match, like most RCB batsmen Boucher struggled with the bat and scored just 7 runs of 9 balls before being dismissed by Sourav Ganguly.

Mark Boucher played for South Africa from 1997-2012, and was more than a handy lower order batsman for South Africa and also currently holds the record for most numbers of catches by a wicketkeeper in Test cricket with 532, apart from having taken more than 400 catches in ODI format. Mark Boucher retired from international cricket, due to a serious eye injury he suffered in July 2012, after being struck on his left eye by a bail in a warm match against Somerset.

In IPL apart from playing for RCB from 2008-2010, Boucher also played for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2011, and is currently living a happy retirement life.

#7 Balachandra Akhil

Former Karnataka all-rounder Balachandra Akhil is mostly remembered in IPL for his quickfire unbeaten cameo of 27 runs of just 7 balls against Deccan Chargers at Hyderabad in IPL 2008 which helped RCB win the match from a difficult situation. Apart from that quickfire cameo against Deccan Chargers, Akhil hardly did anything of note for RCB in IPL 2008. In RCB's maiden IPL match, Akhil had a poor match as he was dismissed for a duck by Ajit Agarkar and did not get a chance to bowl.

Akhil played for Karnataka from 1998-2009 and was more than a handy all-rounder for Karnataka in the domestic circuit. Despite consistent performances in the domestic circuit, Akhil never got a chance to represent India in the international arena.

In IPL apart from playing for RCB from 2008-2010, Akhil even played for now-defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala in IPL 2011 and played his last IPL match against Delhi Daredevils in April 2011 and is currently the captain of Namma Shivamogga in Karnataka Premier League.

#8 Ashley Noffke

Former Australian all-rounder Ashley Noffke played just one match in the IPL history and that solitary match was the inaugural IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders. In that match, Noffke did not have a good game as he bowled an expensive spell of 4-0-40-1 and scored just 9 runs off 10 balls with the bat.

Noffke has so far played just one ODI match and two T20 matches for Australia in his entire international career, despite being a consistent performer in Australian domestic circuit. Noffke announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in October 2010 and is currently the assistant coach of Queensland Bulls in Australian domestic circuit.

#9 Praveen Kumar

Indian discard Praveen Kumar batting at number 8, was the unlikely top scorer for RCB in their maiden IPL match with 18 runs of 15 balls and hit one four and two sixes. But, Praveen was expensive with the ball and went for 38 runs from his quota of 4 overs.

Praveen Kumar made his debut for the Indian team in an ODI match against arch-rivals Pakistan in November 2007. Since his debut until 2012, he was a regular member of Indian team in all the formats and was considered to be one of the finest exponents of swing bowling during his time in Indian cricket.

Due to Praveen Kumar's injury prone body, coupled with the emergence of the newer crop of fast bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami meant that Praveen Kumar lost his place in Indian Team in 2012, thereby playing his last match for India on March 2012.

In IPL apart from RCB, Praveen Kumar has also played for Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Lions but was unsold in recently concluded IPL auctions 2018 and currently plays in the domestic circuit for Uttar Pradesh.

#10 Zaheer Khan

Legendary Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan is widely regarded by many cricket pundits and expert as the best ever fast bowler to have played for India. Zaheer Khan played for India from 2000-2014, and was the spearhead of Indian fast bowling attack during the majority of his cricketing career, along with being one of the chief architects behind India's winning campaign in ICC World Cup 2011.

In RCB's maiden IPL match like most of the RCB bowlers, Zaheer did not have a good match as he conceded 38 runs from his quota of 4 overs and picked up the first wicket in IPL history when he dismissed Saurav Ganguly.

In IPL apart from RCB, Zaheer Khan also played for Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils before retiring from IPL at the end of IPL 2017. Currently, Zaheer Khan is working as a commentator and also mentors Mumbai Souths in T20 Mumbai League.

#11 Sunil Joshi

Former Karnataka spinner, Sunil Joshi is mostly remembered by Indian cricket fans for his superb bowling performance against South Africa in 1999 where he picked up 5 wickets for just 6 runs in his quota of 10 overs helping India win the match.

Sunil Joshi made his debut for India in 1996 but failed to establish himself as a regular member of Indian team due to the emergence of Harbhajan Singh in 2001. Sunil Joshi, however, continued to play in the domestic circuit and retired from all the forms of cricket in 2011.

Sunil Joshi played for RCB in IPL 2008, and in RCB's maiden IPL match Joshi did not have a good match and conceded 26 runs from his 3 overs. Currently, Sunil Joshi is working as a spin bowling consultant of Bangladesh Cricket Team.