Three Changes RCB must make for their next match

Royal Challengers Bangalore faced a reality check at the hands of mighty CSK in the season’s opener. Team management made glaring errors in reading the pitch, which reflected in their team selection. While CSK had five spinning options in their playing eleven, RCB had an only one frontline spinner in Yuzvendra Chahal and a part-time spinner in Moeen Ali.

Royal Challengers will take on three times IPL champions Mumbai Indians on 28th March in front of their loyal home crowd in Bengaluru. RCB captain Virat Kohli has quite a task ahead of him in selecting the best playing squad before he takes on tried and tested squad like MI.

Let’s try to look at three major changes RCB can make to taste their first victory in IPL 12.

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An explosive opener at the top

As Gautam Gambhir aptly summarised, lack of an explosive opener at the top puts extra pressure on Kohli to score runs quickly in powerplay overs. RCB has very few options at the top to replace Kohli or Parthiv Patel. However, Virat may try Himmat Singh or South African wicket keeping batsman Heinrich Klaasen against Mumbai Indians as his partner. This would provide much-needed liberty for Virat to anchor the innings till the end.

Washington Sundar as the second spinner

Fans were baffled when Moeen Ali was chosen as the second spinner ahead of Washington Sudar against CSK on a rank turner. While Moeen Ali gives an extra batting option at the top order, Sundar’s off-breaks can trouble best batsmen in the world. This will certainly strengthen RCB bowling line up in the middle overs and take the pressure off Yuzvendra Chahal.

Tim Southee

Tim Southee in for Moeen Ali

RCB lacks a speedster who can bowl in the death overs and Tim Southee is their best option. Southee has taken 27 wickets in 37 IPL games. Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru has witnessed several high scoring games due to smaller boundaries and Southee’s experience will prove crucial for RCB’s young bowling line up.

RCB also has Shivam Dube and Colin de Grandhomme in their line up who can chip in middle overs and lend balance to the bowling line up. One option that they might try and looking is to try spinning allrounders Pawan Negi or Gurkeerat Singh Mann whenever they play in outright spinning pitches such as Chennai.

Bengaluru Fans will be waiting for their first match at the home on 28th and hope RCB will field their best players to take on Mumbai Indians.

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