"The bowling has become weaker, no question about it" - Sunil Gavaskar on RCB heading into IPL 2024

Sunil Gavaskar reckons the Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) bowling has become weaker after their releases and acquisitions ahead of IPL 2024.

The Bengaluru-based franchise released a few prominent bowlers like Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga and Harshal Patel ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. They bought Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal and Tom Curran at the auction to bolster their seam-bowling contingent.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Gavaskar was asked whether the Royal Challengers Bangalore have strengthened or weakened their bowling based on their personnel changes. He responded:

"I think the bowling has become weaker, no question about it. We knew that Josh Hazlewood was not going to be available for the full season. So him not being selected is understandable."

The former India captain questioned RCB for releasing Harshal Patel and Wanindu Hasaranga.

"However, to let go of Harshal Patel, to let go of Hasaranga, both of whom can bowl at the start as well as in the middle and the final overs, to let go of such experience means they have probably not helped their team," Gavaskar added.

Harshal picked up 14 wickets at an economy rate of 9.65 in 13 games in IPL 2023. Hasaranga accounted for nine dismissals in eight matches and conceded an average of 8.89 runs per over last season.

---

"Can he replicate it on the Chinnaswamy pitches?" - Sunil Gavaskar on RCB's acquisition of Alzarri Joseph

Alzarri Joseph's 6/12 for the Mumbai Indians against the SunRisers Hyderabad in 2019 are the best figures in IPL history. [P/C: Getty]

Sunil Gavaskar wasn't optimistic about Alzarri Joseph being successful on the batting-friendly Chinnaswamy surface. He stated:

"Yes, you might have got a Lockie Ferguson in the team and you have got an Alzarri Joseph, who has probably got the best figures in the IPL when he played for the Mumbai Indians, he has six wickets for 12 runs or something like that, but can he replicate it on the Chinnaswamy pitches? That is going to be the issue."

The cricketer-turned-commentator concluded by reiterating that RCB have compromised on their bowling.

"So the bowling certainly has become a little weak because the spin options are also not quite there, with Hasaranga not there, and the death-over options, which you had with a Harshal Patel, are also not quite there," Gavaskar reasoned.

RCB didn't try to reacquire Harshal Patel, who was bought for a whopping ₹11.75 crore by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the auction. They didn't bid for Wanindu Hasaranga either. The Sri Lankan leg-spinner was acquired by the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at his base price of ₹1.50 crore.