VIVO IPL 2016: Royal Challengers Bangalore: Squad Analysis: Strengths & Weaknesses

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The Royal Challengers Bangalore is the only team in IPL history that has looked strong on paper every single year but could not live up to the potential. However, this year the story will be different as they have signed some good All-Rounders to balance the squad

RCB played only once in the final in 2009 under the leadership of Anil Kumble and lost to the Deccan Chargers. Last year they had an able squad consisting of the likes of the mighty Chris Gayle, the classy Virat Kohli and the devastating Mitchell Starc. But still somehow they could not make it the whole way as they lost to CSK in the Semi-Finals. However, this year the story will be different as they have signed some good All-Rounders to balance the squad.

Squad:-

Batsmen : Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli(C), AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Travis Head, Sachin Baby

All Rounders : Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Parvez Rasool, David Wiese, Praveen Dubey, Akshay Karnewar

Wicket-keeper : Kedar Jadhav, KL Rahul

Fast Bowlers : Mitchell Starc, Harshal Patel, Sreenath Arvind, Adam Milne, Kane Richardson, Vikramjeet Malik, Vikas Tokas, Varun Aaron, Abu Nechim Ahmed

Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal, Iqbal Abdullah, Samuel Badree

Team Analysis : This may be RCB’s year. After all the efforts and hard work put in, the management has finally been able to land a perfect playing XI. With Watson and Gayle to open, Kohli at no. 3, De Villiers at no. 4 and the likes of Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Kedar Jadhav or KL Rahul to follow and Stuart Binny down the order , this batting line up is power packed in every way.

Talking about the bowling, it will be led by Mitchell Starc. Chahal has been brilliant over the years with his wrist spin and will be important this year as well along with Iqbal Abdullah. Harshal Patel has done well for RCB in previous editions and is almost guaranteed a place. Abu Nechim Ahmed, Varun Aaron and Iqbal Abdullah will be seen fighting for a place and they will be played in tandem with playing conditions; that means whichever bowler is the most suitable to play on a particular pitch.

In case of an injury to Starc, RCB have able replacements in Kane Richardson and Adam Milne. Travis Head will be seen warming the benches as well unless there is an injury to any of the overseas batsmen in the playing XI. The squad will remain almost the same except that David wiese will make way for Shane Watson in the playing XI.

Probable XI

Shane Watson, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli(C), AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Stuart Binny, Kedar Jadhav(wk)/ KL Rahul(wk), Yuzvendra Chahal, Mitchell Starc/ Samuel Badree( depending on playing conditions), Harshal Patel, Iqbal Abdullah/Varun Aaron/Abu Nechim Ahmed ( depending on playing conditions)

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