IPL 2021, Royal Challengers Bangalore - Team Preview: Can captain Kohli guide RCB to maiden trophy?

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have had a strong squad every season only to have witnessed their campaign derail each and every time. While in IPL 2020, RCB made a strong claim for their first IPL trophy, their season ended in the playoffs.

With an aim to break the title jinx, Virat Kohli-led RCB would take the field in IPL 2021 with some new and big-name faces in the squad.

Captain Kohli will take up the opener’s slot with Devdutt Padikkal in the RCB playing XI with the likes of AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell to follow. That itself makes up for a really strong top four and RCB would be hoping for the quartet to fire all cylinders with the bat.

With the talent of Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed and new recruits Mohammad Azharuddeen, Harshal Patel providing exciting options, RCB’s lower-middle order also looks potent and well-capable of taking the death overs by storm.

The overseas options of Dan Christian, Kyle Jamieson make the playing combination more lethal and on paper, better than ever. RCB spent heavily on the duo in a bid to solidify their all-rounder options.

The bowling attack looks pretty similar to what it was last year and the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal are expected to do the heavy lifting with the ball.

While the new additions have opened new opportunities for RCB, it would be interesting to see how Kohli marshals his troops in the cash-rich T20 tournament.

Can RCB end the trophyless run? It will depend on how they use their options.

Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2021 squad

Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers (wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Finn Allen, Pavan Deshpande, Washington Sundar, Daniel Sams, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Kane Richardson, Harshal Patel, Glenn Maxwell, Sachin Baby, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Azharuddeen (wk), Kyle Jamieson, Daniel Christian, Suyash Prabhudessai, KS Bharat