Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been one of the IPL's most popular franchises ever since its inception.
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Some of the players that have donned the red and gold of the team's jersey have been true stalwarts of the game; Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Mitchell Starc and of course, Virat Kohli, the only player to represent a single franchise for 17 seasons.
Despite the consistent star quality, however, RCB have never won an IPL title. They have shaken things up this year by bringing Andy Flower into the team think-tank, a serial title winner. With the right auction purchases, could this be their year?
In this article, The Sporting News explains which players could be on RCB's radar ahead of the IPL 2024 auction.
MORE: Who will Mumbai Indians buy for IPL 2024?
Royal Challengers Bangalore squad list for IPL 2024
Following the player retention/release deadline, RCB have retained 19 players. They are:
- Faf du Plessis*
- Virat Kohli
- Glenn Maxwell*
- Mohammad Siraj
- Dinesh Karthik
- Rajat Patidar
- Will Jacks*
- Reece Topley*
- Suyash Prabhudessai
- Mahipal Lomror
- Anuj Rawat
- Karn Sharma
- Akash Deep
- Vyshak Vijaykumar
- Manoj Bhandage
- Rajan Choudhary
- Himanshu Sharma
- Mayank Dagar (traded from SRH)
- Cameron Green* (traded from MI)
*overseas players
Which players should Royal Challengers Bangalore buy in the IPL 2024 auction?
RCB's purse ahead of the IPL 2024 auction stands at INR 23.25 crore. The minimum amount of players in a squad is 18, which means the team has already met the minimum requirement. They have three overseas slots vacant.
Some of the franchise's released players have left a significant gap in their squad. Wanindu Hasaranga did not have the best of seasons, but a player of his overall quality will be missed. Harshal Patel was their primary death bowler, and Josh Hazlewood a solid new-ball option but have been released.
MORE: WPL 2024 Auction: Date, venue, and full list of 165 available players
At present, RCB's top six are more or less set, but the bowling looks to be an issue. Only Mohammad Siraj is a guaranteed starter, along with Reece Topley if the Englishman can remain fit for an entire season. But right now, they will be looking for a starting-quality spinner and pacer, preferably Indian but remaining open to overseas options.
Kartik Tyagi
Kartik Tyagi is a player whose development has stalled a bit in the last couple of years, but he remains an promising young fast bowler.
Not many pacers can claim to hit the same speeds as Tyagi, and his talent has been on show in the IPL, for Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. With the right coaching, he could turn out to be an excellent value buy for RCB.
Chetan Sakariya
Another bowler who made his name at Rajasthan Royals, Chetan Sakariya was let go by Delhi Capitals after playing just two matches in a poor season for the franchise in 2023.
As a short, skiddy, left-armer Sakariya would provide variety to the RCB attack and can fit in either alongside or in place of the taller, bouncier Reece Topley. He is, like Tyagi, another player who would need the right coaching and environment but could be invaluable.
Jason Holder
Jason Holder would be more of a left-field shout for RCB to target in the auction. He is unlikely to fetch a high asking price, and would be a solid option for the franchise in case the purse is tight.
On a placid, batting-friendly Chinnaswamy wicket, bowlers are required to make things happen in order to be successful. Holder's ability to extract steep bounce thanks to his height could be a great advantage, and his lower-order batting ability is a massive plus. His real value would likely be seen only if Reece Topley were unfit, but he could even replace Cameron Green in the lineup.
Pat Cummins
After missing out on this year's IPL due to commitments with the national team, Cummins will make a much anticipated return to the League. Cummins is likely to be in high demand after he led Australia to a record sixth trophy at the ODI World Cup in India.
As RCB has let go of a host of players, including Cummins' teammate Josh Hazlewood, they will be looking to strengthen their fast bowling department. The 30-year-old Australian captain could work well in tandem with their left-arm seamer Reece Topley.
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