The teams have announced the retained players, and plenty of drama has also unfolded in the last 24 hours or so.
The preparations for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 are underway. The teams have announced the retained players, and plenty of drama has also unfolded in the last 24 hours or so. The IPL 2024 auction will take place on December 19, with the trade window open till December 12, a week before the auction in Dubai.
There have been several surprises, and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have thrown the most of them. They have let go as many as 11 players, with a few of them surprising one and all. RCB have also traded Cameron Green from Mumbai Indians (MI) and will enter the IPL 2024 auction with a purse of 23.25 crores.
The confirmed list: Royal Challengers Bangalore’s retained and released players ahead of IPL 2024 auction.#RCB pic.twitter.com/tB1I55TpWO
— CricXtasy (@CricXtasy) November 27, 2023
In this section, we look at the five players RCB can target in the IPL 2024 auction.
Shahrukh Khan came to the IPL stage with a lot of hype and potential. Punjab Kings (PBKS) took him with high hopes, and while Shahrukh gave glimpses at times, he never reached his full potential. Hence, Punjab Kings released him from the squad ahead of IPL 2024 auction.
Royal Challengers Bangalore can acquire his services and extract the most out of him. RCB will need a power hitter at No. 7 below Dinesh Karthik and later replace him with a genuine bowler per the impact player rule. Shahrukh fits nicely in this void.
Shahrukh is a pace hitter with brute power and a stable base who can clear the short boundaries of Chinnaswamy with ease. His value will increase automatically in Bangalore, where the bowlers hardly get any purchase, and Shahrukh can play as a designated finisher. Shahrukh can be a long-term prospect, and RCB have the budget to go deep for him.
While the impact player rule might have reduced the value of pace all-rounders, they are still a rare commodity. Aman Hakim Khan is among those players who bowls medium pace and thwack the pacers hard. He has a massive potential, with the likes of Ricky Ponting appreciating him in the past.
Aman Hakim Khan can swing the new ball and provide at least two overs if used precisely. Moreover, he is a genuine six-hitter who can give that final flourish in the back end of the innings. Aman has improved massively in this aspect and can clear the ropes with ease, especially in Chinnaswamy.
In Aman, RCB will get a new ball bowler and a pace hitter – a value very few can provide. The key thing is raw talent. Obviously, he is a work in progress, but Aman can do wonders under the correct guidance.
RCB’s IPL 2024 auction strategy has been interesting so far, as they have released the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Harshal Patel. It will tempt them to go after at least one overseas and one Indian pacer. Fortunately for them, RCB have the budget to go hard at a few better options available.
Kartik Tyagi is certainly among the best bets available in the market. He was with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) till last season but got very few opportunities. However, Tyagi has immense talent and skillsets, and if used wisely, he can be a real asset.
Kartik is an upgrade over Harshal Patel, as he has the pace and can be used as an enforcer. There is also a death overs value in Kartik, and unlike Harshal, he doesn’t have to rely largely on the slower balls. He has always been a real deal, and if RCB get him, Kartik can be a long-term investment that covers a lot of areas.
There is a lot to like about Gerald Coetzee, and RCB would agree. He has risen through the blocks quickly and did amazingly well in the recently concluded World Cup 2023. RCB have released Josh Hazlewood, who used to provide exceptional new ball value.
While Coetzee doesn’t provide as much value in the powerplay, he is a quality middle and slog-overs bowler. If RCB get an Indian powerplay specialist, Coetzee will add more value to the team. Gerald has the pace and improves consistently.
Coetzee’s death over skillsets makes him a hot property in the IPL 2024 auction. He will certainly go for plenty in the slog overs, and RCB have a decent purse to go after him. Coetzee can be a long-term investment who can slowly turn himself into an all-phase bowler.
RCB’s IPL 2024 auction strategy seems weird. They have left Wanindu Hasaranga, who was roped in for a whopping sum with massive expectations. However, Royal Challengers Bangalore have released a spinner who can also bat well in the lower order.
Hasaranga will be sold for a massive sum again, and RCB might not go hard after him as they have other important slots to fill. However, they can get Adil Rashid, who was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad this year. Rashid has improved massively and also bats a bit in the lower order.
Rashid bowled well in this year’s World Cup and can occupy a vital slot in the team. However, he will have his task cut out due to bowling in Chinnaswamy. Adil Rashid is still among the better options available in the market.
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