Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will aim to break their jinx in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020). Despite having the services of many T20 stars, RCB haven’t been able to clinch the title even once in the last 12 season. They have reached the finals on three occasions but failed to cross the final hurdle. However, players of the side have been hitting the training ground hard lately and are looking determined to guide their side to the maiden title. Also, many cricket experts like Aakash Chopra and Brad Hogg have backed Virat Kohli and Co to get the glory in the forthcoming tournament. Royal Challengers Bangalore Likely Playing XI vs Sunrisers Hyderabad.
With IPL 2020 taking place in UAE, all the teams will tackle a different challenge. The pitches of the Gulf Nation are known to be spin-friendly, and the boundaries are also on the larger side. As momentum has been a key for RCB over the years, the side will want to get off to a start. However, selecting the right playing XI will be a challenging task for team management. The side has the services of many prominent foreign players in their arsenal but only for foreign cricketers can feature in playing XI. As RCB are gearing up for the tournament, let’s look at the four foreign players who will be a regular part of RCB set-up. RCB Team Profile for IPL 2020: Royal Challengers Bangalore Squad in UAE, Stats & Records and Full List of Players.
1. Aaron Finch
New-recruit Aaron Finch comes with the plethora of experience and is expected to fire at the top of the order. The Australian captain can make maximum utilization of the powerplay overs, and his knack of playing long innings makes him even more dangerous. His captaincy experience also might come handy in building the team strategies.
2. AB de Villiers
Arguably the most important player in RCB after skipper Virat Kohli, De Villiers boasts off a sensational record in IPL. Along with playing big shots at will, the former South African captain is very well able to stabilize the innings after a top-order collapse. De Villiers can be seen in the dual role this season as he’s expected to don the wicket-keeping gloves too.
3. Moeen Ali
The England all-rounder is a great asset in the shortest format of the game. Ali can bat anywhere in the batting order, and his off-spins will be handy in the slow and dead pitches of UAE. Adding to that, the southpaw showcased some fine form in T20I series against Australia which will boost his confidence ahead of the tournament.
4. Dale Steyn
The old warhorse might not have played a lot of cricket in recent times, but he still can torment the best of the batsmen. Along with moving the new ball, the Proteas pacer can bowl tightly in the death overs too. Notably, fast-bowling has always been an area of concern for RCB, which makes Steyn’s role even more significant.
Apart from these stars, RCB a great back up in the form of Adam Zampa, Chris Morris, Josh Philippe and Isuru Udana. With the tournament being 56-day long, these cricketers will come into play at some point in time. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli and Co will begin their campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on September 20 at the Dubai International Stadium.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2020 04:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).