With less than a month remaining until the commencement of IPL 2024, anticipation among cricket fans worldwide is soaring. The focus naturally shifts to teams like the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), perennial contenders whose star-studded batting lineup has enthralled fans for years. However, despite boasting a formidable roster of cricketing luminaries, RCB has thus far eluded the coveted IPL trophy.
In exclusive interviews with Star Sports on the show ‘Game Plan’, former cricketers Matthew Hayden and Irfan Pathan shared their insights on the upcoming IPL 2024 season. Meanwhile, Irfan Pathan analyzed RCB’s prospects, highlighting the team’s enhanced batting lineup and the potential impact of their express pace bowlers on flat pitches like Chinnaswamy Stadium.
“Now that he’s got a team, as far as the batting is concerned, I really feel the batting has got longer now, which wasn’t the case some time ago. And at the same time, a lot of people are not giving RCB a chance because they think their bowling is not the same. I also think the bowling could have been better, but what they’ve done is they’ve got express pace on that pitch. “
“If you can bowl 140+ consistently on pitches that are flat like Chinnaswamy’s pitch, sometimes it might work. You might get surprised that this bowling unit can lift the trophy. For Virat Kohli, it will be a very special moment because he’ll be wanting it since 2008 but he hasn’t been able to touch that trophy.”
However, the team’s bowling lineup still appears vulnerable, with recent acquisitions such as Joseph and Yash Dayal yet to establish themselves in the T20 format and the IPL. While Mohammed Siraj and Reece Topley offer glimpses of reliability, the absence of a proven match-winner in the spin department leaves RCB exposed in crucial situations.
Hayden also delved into Virat Kohli’s leadership with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), emphasizing the team’s batting prowess and the pivotal role of their bowling unit in clinching their maiden IPL trophy.
Matthew Hayden also addressed RCB’s chances in this IPL, noting, “Virat, the way he operated in 2023, was second only behind his 16 seasons so it wasn’t just runs, it was strike rate at the top. But when you question why always RCB are the perennial bridesmaids in this tournament is how they are going to defend at home. It doesn’t matter if you get 300 runs when it comes to Chinnaswamy stadium, so it matters how to get people out in those conditions consistently.”
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