. Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
IPL 2022: SWOT Analysis of Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed turned the game to RCB's favour after he bowled the 17th over of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) innings. (Photo credit: Twitter/)
- Royal Challengers Bangalore will begin their IPL 2022 campaign on March 27
- RCB will be led by their newly appointed captain Faf du Plessis
- This time the Bengaluru franchise got a strong pace bowling attack
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is among the three IPL sides that have never won the coveted trophy since the inception of the cash-rich T20 league in 2008. RCB, however, played the final thrice and on all three occasions, they finished as runners-up.
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This season, under newly-appointed captain Faf du Plessis, the Bengaluru franchise will look to break their title jinx. Keeping that in mind, RCB management released promising batter Devdutt Padikkal and wily spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and bought Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood, former South Africa captain du Plessis, Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and West Indies sensation Sherfane Rutherford to rebuild the team. Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, and Mohammed Siraj were the three players retained by RCB ahead of the mega auction.
Here is the SWOT analysis of Royal Challengers Bangalore:
RCB squad: Faf du Plessis (captain), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahmed, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudessai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma, David Willey, Luvnith Sisodia, Siddharth Kaul
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Strengths – Pace attack
Bowling in death overs has always been a problem for RCB in IPL. But this team, with Jos Hazlewood and Mohammed Siraj in their squad, RCB seemed to have solved a persisting problem. Both Hazlewood and Siraj are likely to share the new ball. The duo will get ample assistance from Harshal Patel, who won the Purple Cup last season for taking season-best 32 wickets, Australian pacer Jason Behrendorrf, Siddharth Kaul and England left-arm pacer David Willey.
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Weakness – Batting
It may sound strange since RCB have always been a batting heavy side and they had some of the biggest names of international cricket in their XI. This season they will have in form Glenn Maxwell, who may have to do the heavy bearing in absence of AB de Villiers. The South African cricketer had announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in November last year. This means RCB will miss a big hitter. At the same time, Virat Kohli has been going through a lean patch. He is yet to get back his old prolific form. Unlike bowling in previous seasons, this season RCB’s main concern could be their batting.
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Opportunities – New captain
For seven years, Kohli led RCB with little success. The only time RCB, under Kohli, came close to winning the IPL was in 2016. The rest of the seasons were rather vague. This time, RCB have experienced Faf du Plessis as their skipper. He could change their luck. Du Plessis will also be eager to leave a mark as a captain in his maiden stint in the role in IPL.
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Threats – Virat Kohli’s form
RCB fans will hope that their superstar Virat Kohli gets back his form and starts playing big innings. His lean patch would affect RCB’s chances against top bowling attacks. In case, he fails Faf du Plessis, Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik will have to take the responsibility. But none of them is of Kohli’s class. At the same time, sometimes Kohli’s mere presence on the field will be enough to strike terror in the minds of oppositions. It is thus important for the Indian cricketer to return to form.