Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) attracted attention with their choices during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction, particularly regarding the players they opted to retain and those they chose not to pursue. Notably, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj, both key figures in the team, along with captain Faf du Plessis, were significant omissions. Du Plessis' leadership in the post-Virat Kohli era and his role as an opening batsman were substantial, making his exit a considerable loss for the top order.

However, RCB managed to address this gap by acquiring Phil Salt. A major topic of discussion leading up to this IPL season was the potential return of Kohli as captain, which ultimately did not materialize. Instead, RCB has selected Rajat Patidar, a player known for his remarkable consistency in recent seasons and his crucial contributions to some of the team's most notable victories. The overarching aspiration is that these strategic moves will finally secure the IPL title that RCB's dedicated and extensive fanbase, along with former stars like Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle, have long desired.

Strength: Big-hitters, as usual

RCB exemplifies a fascinating paradox in the league's history, as few teams have assembled such star-studded batting lineups over the years. This trend continues into the current season. Salt's ability to hit sixes was instrumental in KKR's title win last season. Although Maxwell has departed, his Australian teammate Tim David joins RCB this year, alongside established power hitters such as Liam Livingstone, Romario Shepherd, and Krunal Pandya.

The players anticipated to deliver significant performances for Patidar include Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal. Padikkal has recently excelled in both 50-over and first-class cricket; however, his T20 form has been inconsistent. Kohli, while experiencing a challenging phase in the longest format and not particularly standing out in the 2024 T20 World Cup—except for his crucial performance in the final—could still be a key contributor. If he replicates even half of his previous year's success and if the other prominent batsmen perform well, RCB has the potential to impress this season.

Weakness: Form of the big-hitters and pace attack questions at the Chinnaswamy

As previously mentioned, Padikkal's T20 career has not progressed as anticipated since he scored 473 runs in his debut season with RCB during the pandemic-affected 2020 season. Last year, he had a disappointing stint with LSG, limited to just seven matches due to injuries, in which he managed to score only 38 runs.

Additionally, the performance of high-profile foreign players, particularly England's Salt and Livingstone, raises concerns, as both struggled during England's disappointing tour of India and the subsequent Champions Trophy in Pakistan earlier this year. RCB does possess two experienced leaders in their pace attack, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Whether they can effectively utilize the batter-friendly conditions at Chinnaswamy Stadium remains to be seen.

Prediction

Making predictions about RCB can be risky. They appeared to be thoroughly defeated and demoralized midway through last season, only to embark on an impressive run that led them to the playoffs. Based on their roster, RCB possesses the capability to reach the playoffs once again.

The complete roster for RCB includes: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (Captain), Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Dar, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Tim David, Devdutt Padikkal, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Swapnil Singh, Manoj Bhandage, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh, and Mohit Rathee.

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