IPL Mega Auction 2022: RCB may pick Harshal, Brevis, Holder and Chahal

IPL RCB Team 2022 Players List: The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have had a tendency of breaking the bank for the most hyped players of the year, only to end up disappointed when they do not meet expectations.

The biggest criticism about RCB in the tournament was its overdependence on the Kohli-de Villiers duo, prioritising a top-heavy batting line-up and not having a bowling spearhead. RCB have retained Virat Kohli (Rs 15 crore), Glenn Maxwell (Rs 11 crore), and Mohammed Siraj (Rs 7 crore).

With Rs 57 crore in their purse RCB has the opportunity to start afresh and the early signs are that they’re on the right track, having identified a solid core in Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammad Siraj.

Here are the 5 players RCB might go for during the mega auction:

Harshal Patel (Base Price: Rs 2 crore): Harshal Patel ended the IPL with 32 wickets, joint most with Dwayne Bravo for most wickets in any season. There are few bowlers who have mastered the art of dipping yorker. Lasith Malinga was one, a natural at that because of his slinging action. Dwayne Bravo acquired it over time. Patel too has bagged a handful of wickets with his slow dipping yorkers.

Harshal Patel (Instagram/Harshal Patel)

Jason Holder (Base Price: Rs 1.5 crore): Former West Indies captain and one of the world’s premier all-rounders Jason Holder could well turn out to be one of the most expensive buys at this edition of Indian Premier League’s mega-auction with Royal Challengers Bangalore expected to bid heavily for him. While the auction dynamic can’t be predicted, Holder’s emergence as a potent IPL auction star has happened, often the case with multi-skilled players where the market determines the value.

Jason Holder. (Courtesy: CWI)

Dewald Brevis (Base Price: Rs 20 lakh): With AB de Villiers opting-out from the IPL auction, RCB might go on and pick his copycat Dewald Brevis. Just like his childhood hero, Brevis can play lap shot, scoop, switch hit, ramp, reverse sweep. Brevis took the U-19 World Cup by storm, scoring 506 runs in six innings at an average of 84.33 while also taking seven wickets with his leg-spin.

Just like his childhood hero, AB de Villiers, Dewald Brevis can play lap shot, scoop, switch hit, ramp, reverse sweep.

Yuzvendra Chahal (Base Price: Rs 2 crore):: India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is a stalwart for the RCB in the IPL. The skilful leggie has played most of his matches for the Bengaluru outfit. Chahal, 31, has 139 wickets in 114 matches. The leg-spinner was one of the most notable omissions from India’s T20 World Cup squad, but his recent performance against West Indies at home is a reminder that he has got his groove back.

Yuzvendra Chahal was far from his best in the first leg of the IPL in India (File)

Devdutt Padikkal (Base Price: Rs 2 crore): Devdutt Padikkal has been a prolific run-getter for the RCB in the last couple of seasons. The young opener has amassed 884 runs in 29 IPL games, including 101 off 52 balls at a strike rate of nearly 200 against Rajasthan Royals in the first half of the IPL 2021. It’s his temperament as much as his strokes that has swelled his horde of admirers. India coach Ravi Shastri wrote on Twitter he made “batting looks so easy”. Kumar Sangakkara was blown away by his “maturity to bat through the innings.” Brian Lara reckons him as a “great talent.”

Devdutt Padikkal