Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has delivered a decent performance under Faf du Plessis‘s captaincy by qualifying for the IPL 2022 and 2024 playoffs. They concluded at 3rd position in IPL 2022, 6th in 2023, and 4th in 2024. Still, the franchise needs to undergo major changes to claim its maiden title in the upcoming edition.
Considering the batting department, the team was entirely dependent on Faf, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, and Dinesh Karthik in the previous season. Every team is required to get a perfect balance to win the tournament, which was completely missing in the case of RCB. Perhaps this could have been the reason they failed to win a trophy despite reaching closer to success in several editions.
Especially in 2024, RCB lost 7 out of 8 matches in the first half of the season. But, they managed to win the remaining 6 out of 6 matches in the league stages and qualified for the playoffs. However, their failure in the initial phases of the tournament cannot be brushed aside. For example, players like Mahipal Lomror were given more chances in the previous season, but couldn’t make a successful impact. RCB’s situation started to change only when they opted for an innovative approach and required countless matches to understand the perfect playing XI combination, which cannot be accepted for every edition.
As 17 editions have been completed, fans are eager to watch the franchise win the tournament. Particularly, with the mega-auction approaching within a few months, RCB is certain to release many players, which can be a great chance for them to make considerable changes. In fact, it is a valuable advantage for the franchise to develop a strong squad from scratch. Let’s find out the three players who can be released from the RCB’s squad.
1. Faf du Plessis:
It would be an unusual move for a franchise to not retain its captain, but RCB would prefer that option ahead of the next edition by releasing its skipper Faf du Plessis. The 40-year-old South African cricketer has proved his abilities in terms of batting and captaincy. But, his age would be a questioning factor, especially when a cricketer enters into their 40s.
Despite Faf maintaining his fitness, the franchise wouldn’t take a chance to trust his abilities with the leadership role for another three to four years.
The ex-South African international star batter scored 1,636 runs for RCB in 45 matches as a captain for three years. He scored 438 runs in 15 matches of the previous edition and became the second South African player to score 10,000 runs in T20s. Even though the franchise reached playoffs in two seasons under his captaincy, which is indeed a good record to consider, he wouldn’t get a preference since the team is yet to lift its first IPL trophy.
Most importantly, RCB will be searching for alternatives and will try to acquire a young talented candidate who could lead the team for the next decade, similar to Virat Kohli’s contribution in the past. Since India’s core batter is still in the squad, Kohli could lead the team if RCB decides to release Faf ahead of the auction.
2. Glenn Maxwell:
RCB acquired Glenn Maxwell for INR 11 crores during the IPL mega auction in 2022. But, the Aussie all-rounder failed to justify his price tag in IPL 2024, where he scored just 52 runs in 10 matches, with his highest score being just 28 runs. He batted at a poor average of 5.28 and a strike rate of 120.93. In terms of bowling, Maxwell took just 6 wickets in 10 matches at an economy of 8.06 and a bowling average of 21.50. His poor form resulted in his exclusion from the playing XI for a few matches in the season and RCB was forced to search for alternatives.
Mainly, his injury concerns and inconsistent form might raise doubt for RCB to retain him for another cycle.
Despite performing well in the recently concluded Major Cricket league in July 2024, where he accumulated 153 runs in 5 innings at an average of 38.25, RCB wouldn’t be convinced with Maxwell’s performance to retain him.
The 35-year-old Australian cricketer might even retire from IPL before the completion of the next cycle. Therefore, it could be a perfect decision for the franchise to part ways with Maxwell and appoint young talents to add a new dimension to the squad.
3. Mahipal Lomror:
RCB supported the 24-year-old Mahipal Lomror for the past few seasons, but he failed to make a name for himself in the tournament. In the 2023 season, Lomror batted in 10 matches but scored only 135 runs at an average of 16.88 and strike rate of 139.18, including his highest score of 54 runs.
Once again, he played 10 matches for RCB in the 2024 season, but he managed to score only 125 runs with his highest score of 33 runs, despite batting with a good strike rate of 183.82. Mainly, he wasn’t able to convert his starts to huge totals.
Possibly, RCB wouldn’t retain him or use an RTM (Right To Match) card if BCCI plans to bring back the rule for mega-auction.
Moreover, the franchise might prefer giving more opportunities to Rajat Patidar, if he is chosen for the upcoming season. The 31-year-old batsman was in his peak form with the bat in IPL 2024 by scoring 398 runs in 15 matches and is much better than Lomror in terms of batting performance. Most importantly, RCB would aim to encourage and hire fresh talents who can guide the team’s success to a higher level as the majority of senior cricketers are approaching closer to the final stages of their cricketing careers.
⏩ IPL 2025: 3 Players Who Can Replace Faf Du Plessis As RCB captain
