RCB have a real chance to win IPL 2022 because they have the "best captain in the IPL": Michael Vaughan

English pundit Michael Vaughan has called Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis the "best captain in the IPL." He believes the side have a "real chance" of lifting their maiden title this year because of Du Plessis' leadership.

Vaughan's remarks came after RCB romped to a massive 67-run win over the SunRisers Hyderabad on Sunday to cement their place at No. 4 in the IPL point table. The skipper followed a superb anchoring knock of 73* (50) with inventive and attacking bowling plans that proved too good for the SunRisers.

Vaughan was lavish in his praise for Du Plessis, calling him a "magnificent thinker" who has made a balanced bowling attack perform to its potential with his plans. He said:

"I think he's the best captain in the IPL. I just see him as a magnificent thinker, that's both with the bat in hand and then when he gets out there as the leader. I love the way how he's at long-off and just kind of maneuvers the team. He only comes in-field when there's a review worth looking at. He's got good combinations, a good attack but it's just the way he uses them. He used all his bowlers inside the first 9-10 overs because he just wanted to make sure that the batters weren't lining up any of them."

The former England captain added that Du Plessis' experience of winning multiple titles with Chennai Super Kings has helped RCB. He stated:

"I have said it from the start, because of Faf, the RCB team this year have just got a great opportunity. Because you've got the tools and you've got a really clever cricket thinker, and he's won it before quite a few times with Chennai, he knows how to win the IPL. He's just got a different shirt on."

Du Plessis used part-timer Glenn Maxwell to open the bowling, a move straight from the MS Dhoni book of captaincy and one he has used with the Proteas before as well. Maxwell got Abhishek Sharma out, solving the IPL team's major issue of lack of wickets in the powerplay. All changes felt perfect for the match-ups, and Wanindu Hasaranga emerged as the star with a stellar five-wicket haul.

Click here to find out which is the next match in the IPL schedule 2022.

How many wins do Faf du Plessis' RCB need to qualify for the playoffs?

If RCB win their remaining two games, they will all but earn direct qualification for the playoffs. If they lose one, they'll have to win the other by a big margin to stay ahead of other fourth-place competitors on net run rate. If they lose both, RCB will have to heavily depend on other, uncontrollable results to go their way to qualify.