Patidar and Akash Deep are expected by RCB to enter the IPL with the confidence they gained from their debuts in India.
where the previous season’s RCB ended
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.
The RCB team for the 2024 IPL
Faf du Plessis (captain), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan
Accessibility of players
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 cricket after missing the five-Test series against England at home to be with his family for the birth of his second kid. A pre-tournament camp in Bengaluru will be where he reunites with the team prior to the opening game in Chennai on March 22.
This year, what’s new at RCB?
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.
The positive: Patidar and Akash Deep shine.
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.
The not-so-good: no backups for death over or leggie
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. They must also locate a death bowler in the absence of Harshal Patel.
Timetable explanations
RCB’s first game of the season is an away match against CSK in Chennai, where they haven’t won since 2008. According to the tournament schedule, they then go back and play three straight home games before taking a plane to Jaipur to conclude their first-leg matchups.
