The IPL 2021 was nothing short of a dream come true for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The franchise made back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in several seasons and was seen as a serious contender. The addition of Glenn Maxwell gave the squad a fresh lease on life, and their death bowling issues were finally put to rest.
They did, however, lose another Eliminator match, this time against Kolkata Knight Riders. Virat Kohli indicated before the commencement of the second leg of the IPL 2021 that the IPL 2021 would be his last as captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, but that he would continue to play for the team as a specialist batter.
The IPL 2022 mega auction has completely changed the game, as the franchise will have to keep its four best cogs. Aside from their four key retentions, management must also engage in a search for a new skipper.
1. Virat Kohli
The former captain will almost certainly be the first player to be added to the roster. Virat Kohli has also only played for the red army since the IPL’s inception, and he may be the team’s biggest brand value contributor. In IPL 2021, Virat Kohli appeared to be a pale shell of his former self. Over the previous few years, he hasn’t been in the finest of shape. Giving up the captaincy will hopefully relieve some of the strain on him and allow him to return to his best form.
2. AB de Villiers
Ab de Villiers, like Virat Kohli, has been a key cog in the Royal Challengers Bangalore lineup for a long time. He has single-handedly won a slew of games for the franchise. In the IPL 2021, he was assigned the role of finisher. In his ten years as an RCB player, ABD has appeared in 156 games and scored 4491 runs at an average of 40.64. The South African is also the tournament’s sixth-highest run-scorer, trailing just David Warner as the best overseas scorer. In the event that the franchise fails to select a strong leader in the mega auction, his retention presents a prospective leadership alternative.
3. Yuzvendra Chahal
After Kohli and De Villiers, Chahal is the only other Royal Challengers Bangalore player to appear in 100+ games. Chahal has emerged as the RCB’s best wicket-taker since IPL 2014, with 139 wickets in total. In addition, regardless of the conditions, the leg-spinner remains on the purple cap list season after season. Chahal has ascended to new heights in the game’s shortest format. Chahal is literally impossible to leave off the RTM card list for RCB. Chahal’s future with the franchise in IPL 2021 is a foregone conclusion.
4. Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal, the franchise’s opening batsman, has proven to be one of their most valuable assets. Devdutt made his debut for RCB in 2020 and wowed everyone. Padikkal scored 473 runs at an average of 31.53 in IPL 2020, including five magnificent fifties. The IPL 2021 edition was just as excellent as the previous one for him. In 14 games, the southpaw scored 411 runs at a 31.61 average. The RTM card will undoubtedly be used by Royal Challengers Bangalore to keep the 20-year-old opener.
5. Glenn Maxwell
Given how well he batted for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2021, it would be difficult for the franchise not to keep him ahead of the blockbuster auction in IPL 2022. He was one of the tournament’s most consistent players and a significant factor for RCB’s success this year. He scored 513 runs in 15 matches at an average of 42.75 and a strike rate of 144.10. In the IPL 2022 mega auction, the Australian cricketer might be RCB’s third retention.
