One of the most exciting players in the local domestic competitions has been Manoj Bhandage.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were among the smartest teams in the IPL 2025 auction, for they didn’t go too hard after marquee players and rather went after players who fit in their plans. They had specific targets and nailed them precisely to form a competitive squad to compete hard in IPL 2025.
They bought several well-known quality players who can be game-changers and win the matches alone. However, they also have a few unknown commodities who can do the job consistently and be X-factor for their side.
One of the most exciting players in the local domestic competitions has been Manoj Bhandage. RCB bought him for his base price of INR 30 Lakhs in the IPL 2025 auction, and he has previously been with the franchise but didn’t get any games to showcase his ability.
Bhandage is an all-rounder who bats in the middle and lower middle order and bowls useful medium pace. He came to the limelight due to his performances in Karnataka’s local T20 competition Maharaja T20 Trophy, where he has been among the most consistent middle-order batters.
He scored 292 runs at an average of 41.71 and a strike rate of 213.13 in 12 innings, including a fifty last season. Further, he took 8 wickets at 25.25 runs apiece in ten outings, showcasing his all-round abilities.
Manoj Bhandage’s biggest strength is his superior expertise against pacers, for he can take them on at will and hit boundaries consistently. Even in the Maharaja T20 Trophy 2024, Manoj found the fence every 3.34 deliveries while batting in the middle and lower middle order.
He can hit pacers at will and thwack any length, making him an ideal candidate for the finisher’s role. Then, he can also give a couple of overs with the ball if used precisely, and his bowling has been consistently improving.
He has scored 187 runs at a strike rate of 132.62 in 15 T20 innings. Further, he also has 18 wickets at 24.05 runs apiece in 22 outings in the shortest format.
The Impact Player rule has taken away the bowling value of several all-rounders, but there’s still room for quality ones to contribute to all the departments. Hence, Bhandage is an all-round package whose precise use can do wonders for the Bengaluru-based franchise.
If we look at the squad composition of RCB, they don’t have too many quality pace-bowling all-rounders, which should open a place for Bhandage. RCB can slot him in the XI, use one of their top-order batters as an impact player and replace them with a specialist bowler according to the requirement.
This way, RCB will have more options in both batting and bowling departments, providing flexibility. Even if they want, RCB can use Bhandage as an impact player and use his batting abilities in death overs, where he can take on speedsters.
RCB have Tim David, but he has blown hot and cold, so the team would want another option to partner with him and share the workload. Bhandage has previous experience playing at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, another positive for RCB.
Manoj has been with the franchise since IPL 2023 but has yet to debut in the tournament. RCB must be prudent and give him consistent chances in IPL 2025.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
