Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have struggled to replace Yuzvendra Chahal since letting him go ahead of the 2022 IPL season. Chahal, RCB’s most successful spinner, thrived at Chinnaswamy Stadium despite its batting-friendly conditions. His ability to control the middle overs and also pick wickets was key for RCB at a time their bowling wasn’t upto the league standard, and since his departure, the franchise has failed to find a spinner who can replicate his impact.
Since 2022 in the IPL, RCB spinners have an economy rate of 9.05, the second worst in the league in this time frame. They have particularly struggled at home in the Chinnaswamy with an average of over 30. They tried Wanindu Hasaranga, the Sri Lanka spin sensation, Shahbaz Ahmed, Karn Sharma, Michael Bracewell, Swapnil Singh, Mayank Dagar and Saurav Chauhan in this time frame all while also having Glenn Maxwell’s part-time option, but none of them could replicate the success Chahal had.
In IPL 2025, they have turned to Suyash Sharma, a young leg-spinner who made headlines with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2023.
There’s little to doubt that RCB’s decision to not retain Chahal proved costly. He was picked by Rajasthan Royals, where he continued to be a consistent wicket-taker. In the IPL 2025 auction, Punjab Kings acquired Chahal for a whopping amount of 18 crores, further ensuring RCB wouldn’t have the chance to bring him back.
Suyash Sharma’s journey to the IPL was unconventional. Coming from Delhi’s club circuit, he was largely unknown before KKR signed him for INR 20 lakh in the 2023 auction. Former India pacer Pankaj Singh recommended him to KKR’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, and after an impressive trial, he was drafted into the squad.
He made an immediate impact in his debut IPL season, picking up 3 for 30 against RCB. Unlike traditional leg-spinners who rely on drift and loop, Suyash’s fast-arm action and sharp turn make him difficult to pick. He possesses a deceptive googly, a quick leg-break, a backspinner, and a flipper. With Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy guiding him, he developed as a mystery spinner capable of troubling batters. This knowledge will be crucial to him as he gets into RCB’s home ground, where anything and everything flies off the bat.
Chinnaswamy Stadium is one of the toughest venues for spinners. The small boundaries and flat wickets often make containment difficult. Chahal’s success at RCB was largely due to his ability to force batters into mistakes by varying his pace and using the bigger square boundaries effectively.
Suyash’s ability to turn the ball sharply at pace could be crucial for RCB. His googly, which looks identical to his leg-break, has been a key weapon. If he can bowl tight lines and attack the stumps, he could find success even in Bangalore’s conditions. However, his recent net session ahead of IPL 2025 was not ideal. He bowled extensively but was taken apart by Rajat Patidar. While practice form isn’t always reflective of match performance, it indicates that he still needs to find his rhythm.
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RCB’s spin attack lacks a clear leader. If Suyash is backed consistently, he could provide the breakthroughs they need in the middle overs. With no other proven match-winner in the leg-spin department for the season, the 21-year-old has a chance to cement his place and fill the spot vacated by Chahal. The fact that he will have a stable economical spinner from the other end in Krunal Pandya will help Suyash remain attacking and search for wickets.
RCB Director Mo Bobat had said that the pair could work well for RCB. “Pairing the experienced Krunal with Suyash Sharma, younger player, highly talented, bowls really fast legspin .. is a powerful combination for spin for RCB,” he said.
While Suyash Sharma is not a direct like-for-like replacement for Chahal, he has the potential to be a key bowler for RCB in IPL 2025. His mystery spin, wicket-taking ability, and attacking mindset could help fill the gap left by Chahal’s departure. However, adapting to Chinnaswamy’s conditions and maintaining consistency will be his biggest challenges. If he can do that, RCB might finally have found their answer to their spin-bowling woes.
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