The IPL 2024 auction date has been finalized and the event will take place in Dubai on December 19. This will be the first time, the event is being held overseas. Given that this will be the second auction after the mega-auction that happened in 2022, fans can expect many changes in the team squads.
One of the teams that will be looking for some changes will be Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Following three consecutive playoff qualifying, RCB was anticipated to reach the knockout stage once more in IPL 2023. The team got off to a good start with a convincing win over the Mumbai Indians (MI).
However, two losses in the next two games sapped the momentum, and qualifying came down to winning the last group-stage game. It did not happen, and RCB and its fans were left dissatisfied. There were several reasons for RCB’s collapse this season, one of which being their perennial problem of over-reliance on a handful of players.
The RCB had a shaky middle order and an ineffective bowling attack, which cost them several games. Nonetheless, like with every season, it is time to rebuild the team for the sake of the franchise and its fans.
Here are the top three players that RCB might release ahead of the 2024 season:
3. Siddharth Kaul
Siddharth Kaul can find himself unlucky to be released by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) without even playing a single game in the IPL 2023 season. In his IPL career, Kaul has picked 58 wickets in 55 IPL matches and his best outings came for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2018 when he played 17 games and picked 21 wickets.
But since then, Kaul has been traded to several different franchises in the IPL and has played only 16 games in the last 4 editions in the tournament and picked 15 wickets. He played only one game in IPL 2022 and none in IPL 2023 as RCB had bought him as a backup bowler.
Though still 33, Kaul’s lack of pace has kept him from RCB choosing him over someone like Vyshak Vijaykumar when the time came. And he might find himself back in the auction pool, looking for a new team.
2. Harshal Patel
One player who lost his mojo in the recent two IPL editions is Harshal Patel. He had a blockbuster IPL 2021 where he picked 32 wickets. After ending IPL 2021 as the leading wicket-taker with a record number of wickets, Patel managed only 19 and 14 wickets in the next two editions.
And worst, his economy has been very poor for a pacer. He also failed to come good in the death overs, as after injury to Reece Topley, RCB employed him at the start of the innings. Another thing that goes against Harshal Patel is that he was bought for a massive INR 10.75 Crores in the auction.
Releasing him ahead of the IPL 2024 auction will free up money for RCB and they might bring him back for a cheaper price, or go for someone more talented and possibly quicker pacer from the U19 lot.
1. Dinesh Karthik
After being picked by RCB ahead of IPL 2022, Dinesh Karthik ended their worries about who’ll replace AB de Villiers as the keeper and finisher. He scored 330 runs for them in IPL 2022 and also made a comeback into the Indian T20I team as well for the T20 World Cup 2023.
However, in IPL 2023, Karthik could not even score half of the runs he scored in the previous edition. In IPL 2023, the RCB wicketkeeper managed 140 runs at an average of 11.67. His wicketkeeping also faltered in key matches, especially against Licknow Super Giants in a crucial match.
This led to RCB using Anuj Rawat as an opener and keeper and the young keeper came good for them.
Though he might be super fit at 38, Karthik has not played any domestic cricket and instead, remains focused on his commentary job. It’s time for RCB to focus on young Anuj Rawat and give him time to flourish.