Key players to playing 11: All you need to know about RCB ahead of IPL 2020

With Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, the Bangalore based the franchise has always been rock solid at the top order of batting order. Check RCB full squad, playing 11, schedule here

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) begins September 19, and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will kick-start its campaign on September 21 when Virat Kohli led side play against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). RCB has tried to strengthen its pace bowling and all-rounder department this season and look to end its IPL title drought. 

With Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, the Bangalore-based the franchise has always been rock solid at the top order of batting order. However, the lack of firepower at the lower down the order has been a big worry. With Shivam Dube growth over the years and the addition of Chris Morris the teams batting look good.
 

Check 2020 IPL latest news and live score updates here

RCB playing 11 prediction

The Australian limited-over skipper Aaron Finch is likely to start in the RCB playing 11. However, he might be not available for the first match since he will join RCB after Australia vs England third ODI on September 16. In that case, Parthiv Patel would open for Challengers with Devdutt Padikkal, highest run-getter in domestic cricket.

It is expected that Kohli will go with three-pace attack: Dale Steyn and Navdeep Saini with bowling all-rounder in Chris Mosrris, at the start of the tournament. Traditionally, the pitches in UAE support spinners and with long boundaries length in place spinners are going to make a great impression in the business end of IPL 2020. So, as the cash-rich league progresses Moeen Ali may replace Morris as lower order all-rounder with Shivam Dube filing the boots for pace all-rounder.

RCB tentative playing 11: Aaron Finch/Parthiv Patel, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Gurkeerat Singh, Shivam Dube 7 Chris Morris, Washington Sundar/Shahbaz Ahmed, Navdeep Saini, Dale Steyn, Yuzvendra Chahal.

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Key players for Royal Challengers Bangalore

Business Standard takes a look into the RCB squad and picked top five players who came became game-changers:

Virat Kohli RCB

Virat Kohli, India cricket team, captian

Batting style: Right-handed batsman

RCB captain Virat Kohli has been a backbone of the team and onus of providing a good start will be on him. In IPL 2019, he scored 464 runs in 14 matches at an average of 33.14, including a century and two fifties. Despite Kohli's good performance, the team managed to win only five matches out of 14 and ended the league at the bottom of the points table.

Kohli's IPL runs
 

Overall, Kohli has piled up 5,413 runs in 177 matches at an average of 37.84 and a strike rate of 131.61, including 36 fifties and five hundred.

AB de Villiers, South Africa cricket team

• National role: Middle order batsman (came out of retirement)
• Batting Style: Right-handed batsman

AB de Villiers, known as Mr 360 due to his hitting abilities all across the park, has come out of retirement after South Africa’s dismal show in ICC cricket world cup last year. de Villiers would look to make the most of the opportunities provided in IPL 2020 as it will help him to prepare for the next year’s ICC T20I World Cup in India.

A better show will also help Bangalore-based franchise to enhance RCB’s performance. de Villiers has been in a good form as he scored 146 runs in 6 matches during last season’s Big Bash League (BBL).

AB de Villier IPL career

In IPL 2019, AB de Villiers has scored 442 runs in 13 matches at an average of 44.20 and a strike rate of 154.00, including five fifties. In 154 matches so far, he has accumulated 4395 runs with an average of 39.95 and strike rate of 151.23. He has scored 3 centuries and 33 fifties, his highest score is 133 runs.
 

Check 2020 IPL points table and team standings here

Photo: IPL Twiiter

Moeen Ali, England cricket team

• Bational role: Batting all-rounder
• Batting style: Left handed batsman
• Bowling style: Right arm off spin

Moeen Ali came to RCB fold in IPL 2018 when the franchise bought him for Rs 1.70 crore. Moeen is a versatile all-rounder and known for his power hitting down the order. Given the slow nature of UAE wickets, he will be a good option for RCB team management lower down the order.

Moeen Ali IPL career

Last season, he has scored 220 runs in 11 matches at an average of 27.50 and a strike rate of 165.41. Overall, he has accumulated 297 runs in 16 matches at an average of 24.75 and a strike rate of 165.92, including three fifties.

Yuzvendra Chahal, Indian cricket team

• National role: Leg spinner
• Bowling style: Right-arm leg break
• Batting style: Right-handed batsman

Yuzvendra Chahal is a lead spinner for Royal Challengers Bangalore for quite some time now and has been a go-to bowler for Virat Kohli in crunch moments. Chahal has a knack of breaking the partnerships, which make him an integral part of RCB.

Chahal IPL career
 

Last season, he took 18 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 21.44 and an economy rate of 7.82. His low average and economy rate illustrates his potential of keeping the things tight as RCB play half of its matches on a Chinnaswamy’s flat wicket. Overall, he scalped 100 wickets in 84 matches played so far at an average of 23.18 and an economy rate of 7.78.

Dale Steyn, South Africa cricket team

Bowling: Right arm medium-fast

The biggest problem, last season, for RCB has been fast bowling options. Dale Steyn has joined RCB in IPL 2019 as a replacement for Nathan Coulter-Nile. However, he only played only two matches and did provide initial breakthroughs and took four wickets. Steyn is also eyeing a place in South Africa squad for ICC T20 World Cup and a good show in IPL 2020 would place him in a better position. Overall, he has scalped 96 wickets in 92 matches at an average of 24.73 and an economy rate of 6.76.

Full list of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s IPL 2020 players along with their salaries:

Player	Team	Retained/bought	Price (Rs cr)
Virat Kohli	RCB	Retained	17.00
A B de Villiers	RCB	Retained	11.00
Chris Morris	RCB	Bought	10.00
Yuzvendra Chahal	RCB	Retained	6.00
Shivam Dube	RCB	Retained	5.00
Aaron Finch	RCB	Bought	4.40
Umesh Yadav	RCB	Retained	4.20
Adam Zampa	RCB	replaced Kane Richardsom	1.50
Washington Sundar	RCB	Retained	3.20
Navdeep Saini	RCB	Retained	3.00
Mohammed Siraj	RCB	Retained	2.60
Dale Steyn	RCB	Bought	2.00
Moeen Ali	RCB	Retained	1.70
Parthiv Patel	RCB	Retained	1.70
Pawan Negi	RCB	Retained	1.00
Gurkeerat Mann Singh	RCB	Retained	0.50
Isuru Udana	RCB	Bought	0.50
Devdutt Padikkal	RCB	Retained	0.20
Joshua Philippe	RCB	Bought	0.20
Pavan Deshpande (uncapped)	RCB	Bought	0.20
Shahbaz Ahmad (uncapped)	RCB	Bought	0.20

Here is RCB’s IPL 2020 full schedule:
 

RCB full schedule for IPL 2020
DATE	DAY	Matches	IST	UAE	VENUE	STADIUM NAME
21-Sep-20	MON	SRH vs RCB	7:30PM	6:00PM	DUBAI	Dubai International cricket stadium
24-Sep-20	THU	KXIP vs RCB	7:30PM	6:00PM	DUBAI	Dubai International cricket stadium
28-Sep-20	MON	RCB vs MI	7:30PM	6:00PM	DUBAI	Dubai International cricket stadium
3-Oct-20	SAT	RCB vs RR	3:30PM	2:00PM	ABU DHABI	Sheikh Zayed Stadium
5-Oct-20	MON	RCB vs DC	7:30PM	6:00PM	DUBAI	Dubai International cricket stadium
10-Oct-20	SAT	CSK vs RCB	7:30PM	6:00PM	DUBAI	Dubai International cricket stadium
12-Oct-20	MON	RCB vs KKR	7:30PM	6:00PM	SHARJAH	Sharjah cricket ground
15-Oct-20	THU	RCB vs KXIP	7:30PM	6:00PM	SHARJAH	Sharjah cricket ground
17-Oct-20	SAT	RR vs RCB	3:30PM	2:00PM	DUBAI	Dubai International cricket stadium
21-Oct-20	WED	KKR vs RCB	7:30PM	6:00PM	ABU DHABI	Sheikh Zayed Stadium
25-Oct-20	SUN	RCB vs CSK	3:30PM	2:00PM	DUBAI	Dubai International cricket stadium
28-Oct-20	WED	MI vs RCB	7:30PM	6:00PM	ABU DHABI	Sheikh Zayed Stadium
31-Oct-20	SAT	RCB vs SRH	7:30PM	6:00PM	SHARJAH	Sharjah cricket ground
2-Nov-20	MON	DC vs RCB	7:30PM	6:00PM	ABU DHABI	Sheikh Zayed Stadium