Royal Challengers Bangalore have kick-started their IPL 2021 campaign with three consecutive. They have won all three of their games at Chennai. Their side looks much more balanced and stronger than ever. They have depth in their batting till number eight. They have seven to eight bowling options. And thankfully, they are not relying on just AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli anymore. But, as their Chennai leg is over now, they will be facing the challenge of the flat pitches of Mumbai in their next few games. With the kind of batting they have, they would love to play at Mumbai after playing on the tough pitches of Chennai. However, it would be interesting to see if their bowling can keep up the work they have been putting in so far. So as they are about to begin their Mumbai leg soon, let’s take a look at RCB’s strongest playing XI for their Mumbai leg.
What is RCB’s strongest playing XI for their Mumbai leg?
#1 Devdutt Padikkal:
The young left-hander and Karnataka prodigy had a tough time batting against Sunrisers Hyderabad. But he did a great job against the Kolkata Knight Riders by building a crucial partnership with Maxwell after losing two early wickets. With RCB’s next match few matches scheduled on the batting paradise of Mumbai, they wouldn’t want to miss young Devdutt in their playing XI.
#2 Virat Kohli:
Can someone rule out the captain and a great batsman like Virat Kohli from their playing XI? I don’t think so. He might not have gotten a big score so far in this tournament, but both his 33s were crucial to RCB’s victory in their first and second match of the season. And, with their next game on a batting-friendly surface, RCB will want their skipper to get back to his 2016 form.
#3 Finn Allen:
Rajat Patidar is a promising aspect, but he hasn’t made good use of his chances yet, while Finn Allen has already proved himself to be a destructive batsman in the T20 format. He hit an 18 ball half-century playing for New Zealand in the recently concluded series against Bangladesh. On a flat wicket and a small ground, Finn Allen’s fearless batting will add more firepower to RCB’s already fearsome batting lineup.
#4 Glenn Maxwell:
The top contender and the Royal Challengers Bangalore representative for the Orange Cap cannot be ruled out of their playing XI for the entire season now. Glenn Maxwell has already smashed two half-centuries in three games on the tough pitches of Chennai. One can only imagine how destructive he can be for the oppositions in the Mumbai leg of RCB.
#5 AB de Villiers:
AB De Villiers cannot be ruled out of RCB’ strongest playing XI on any pitch. The heart of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, AB de Villiers, has been a consistent performer for the South Indian franchise for so long now. He was, is, and will always be a permanent member of the RCB squad as long as he plays in the IPL. This man is going to destroy entire bowling lineups on the flat pitches of Mumbai any day.
#6 Kyle Jamieson:
So far, Kyle Jamieson has good with both his bat and the ball in his hand. Jamieson played some quality strokes against KKR and bowled well against MI, KKR, and SRH. He is also an incredible asset in the field due to his height. An all-around performer like Kyle Jamieson is a must-have for RCB for their Mumbai leg.
#7 Shahbaz Ahmed:
Shahbaz Ahmed is a lower-order hitter for RCB and also provides a variation to RCB’s bowling lineup with his left-arm spin. He performed well with the bat in RCB’s practice games and was the man behind RCB’s victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad. So he has earned his spot in RCB’s strongest playing XI for Wankhede matches.
#8 Washington Sundar:
Washington Sundar has been a regular performer for RCB now. His to-the-point spin bowling can come in handy both in the powerplay as well as middle overs. He also provides that extra stability with the bat as he can bat both sensibly and aggressively according to the situation. His batting style also makes the RCB line up flexible as he can also bat in upper order if the situation demands.
#9 Harshal Patel:
The Purple Cap holder of IPL 2021 so far cannot miss his spot on the Royal Challenger Banglore’s strongest XI. Harshal Patel’s transition from being a part-time bowler for Delhi Capitals to being the primary death bowler for RCB has been nothing less than a miracle. If RCB has to prevent those 200+ totals on Mumbai pitches, Harshal Patel must continue to perform at death. This makes him a primary pick for RCB’s strongest playing XI for the Mumbai leg.
#10 Yuzvendra Chahal/Navdeep Saini:
RCB already has three spin options in Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, and Glenn Maxwell. They also have three pacers, namely, Siraj, Harshal, and Jamieson. These options give them the luxury to play either Yuzvendra Chahal or Navdeep Saini as per their needs on a particular day. If the pitch seems more spin-friendly, they can go with their usual bowler Chahal. On the other hand, if it appears to be a bit more inclined towards batting, then Navdeep Saini can also be played as a fourth pacer.
#11 Mohammed Siraj:
Mohammed Siraj is RCB’s primary powerplay bowler at the moment. And, they would certainly like to stick with him as he has been so consistent. He has maintained an economy rate of below six in this IPL so far. Siraj is also the only bowler to bowl a maiden over in the powerplay in this season yet. On a flat pitch like Mumbai, they cannot think of any other bowler to hand the new ball.
