Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL Team

When will Royal Challengers Bangalore finally get their hands on an IPL title? Will it be this year? Ee saala cup naamde is the most common refrain in Indian cricket, as die-hard RCB fans try to manifest a successful season after years and years of waiting for this team to pull it all together. After they hit the hard reset button, keeping only three players from their last cycle despite their miraculous late surge to the playoffs in 2024, it is clear that Bangalore are willing to be patient and ensure that all the right decisions are made when it comes to making a winning team.

For them, this started with investing heavily in Rajat Patidar as their captain. The Madhya Pradesh right hander showed his pedigree as a leader by leading his state team to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, also looking to be the most in-form batter of that tournament as he showed off his hitting ability against pace and spin alike. Crucially, these games were played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, and Patidar could be set for another massive campaign, with a potential T20I callup on the cards as well.

Outside of Patidar, RCB continue to stick with Virat Kohli, whose orange cap season from 2024 went to show that this is a player who still has the drive and the quality to be the beating heart of this RCB team, even if he is no longer the captain. The IPL is now the only T20 cricket Kohli has to focus on, and shedding the pressure of playing himself into form for the international team could do him a world of good.

It will also help that RCB landed maybe the most wanted overseas opener that was available, especially with Phil Salt being the kind of gung-ho ultra-aggressive bat that will give Kohli and co. the breathing room in the powerplay. Salt will look to do what Will Jacks did, and is capable of big scores at fast rates: at the batting friendly confines of the Chinnaswamy, this could be a big weapon.

On the bowling front, RCB’s biggest buy was Josh Hazlewood, who missed the Champions Trophy but will be available to lead the line for them once again. He will be joined by Buvneshwar Kumar, who RCB somewhat broke the bank for, but if this duo can find rhythm alongside the retained Yash Dayal, it could make for the reliable pace unit the city has been crying out for.

All in all, RCB’s hard reset ahead of the IPL 2025 season is one that could go either way, but the glitz and glamour playing for this team will ensure that there is plenty of attention directed at them throughout. Some players wilt under that pressure, but others truly shine. Will there be a breakthrough for one of the young talents in this team, such as young legspinner Suyash Sharma? Will Jacob Bethell convert his high potential and show off why he is so highly rated within English cricket? Will Virat Kohli finally have the support he needs to get his hands on the one trophy that has evaded him through his career so far?