Image Credit- BCCI
After being in
contention until their final group game, where they were taken aback by a
century from Shubman Gill at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB missed the playoffs
for the first time in four seasons. With seven victories and seven losses, it
meant they were sixth overall.
All of RCB’s players are available for the entire season.
Although Cameron Green’s availability for the first two games had been
questioned, he is scheduled to go to India prior to the tournament’s start,
having received permission from Cricket Australia to skip the Sheffield Shield
final.
Virat Kohli is scheduled to return to competitive action after missing the
five-Test series against England at home to be with his family for the birth of
his second child. He will link up with the squad at a pre-tournament camp in
Bengaluru ahead of the opening game on March 22 in Chennai.
With the addition of
Green in the pre-auction transactions, they may have a bowler in the four overs
and a hitter in the top six. Additionally, there is out-and-out pace, and both
Lockie Ferguson and Alzarri Joseph can start in the starting lineup.
Over the past several months, RCB has had a number of their important Indian
players experience breakout seasons.
Their top order is strengthened by Rajat Patidar’s comeback, who missed the
2023 Indian Premier League due to a heel injury. Over the previous three
months, Patidar, who scored the first century by an uncapped Indian in the IPL
playoffs in 2022, has received caps in both Tests and ODIs.
Fast bowler Akash
Deep was given a Test cap against England in Ranchi as a result of his
outstanding performances for India A against the England Lions in January and
February.
Vijaykumar Vyshak, a fast bowler, has caught the attention of selectors after
Karnataka’s stellar domestic season earned him a fast-bowling contract. In
eight Ranji Trophy games in 2023–24, he claimed 39 wickets, which was the
second-highest total among fast bowlers for the season. With his bat, he made a
vital contribution as well, scoring 343 runs in 13 innings.
Since Wanindu Hasaranga was released, they are without a competent legspinner.
Himanshu Sharma, who is yet to receive a cap, or Karn Sharma, who has played in
very few games for the team in the past two seasons, will have to do for them.
RCB open their
campaign with an away fixture in Chennai, where they haven’t beaten CSK since
2008. They then return to play three straight home games before flying to
Jaipur to end their first leg of matches as per the tournament’s schedule.