"Defeats don’t defeat us, the Challenger Spirit keeps us alive" - RCB
The struggle to claim their first-ever Indian Premier League trophy is alive once again. Royal Challengers Bangalore are back on the battlefield, armed with hopes and hard work for the 17th season running. Here are all the details you need to know about the team before the IPL 2024 season begins
"Defeats don’t defeat us, the Challenger Spirit keeps us alive" - RCB
Following the philosophy of 'Play Bold' this time Royal Challengers Bangalore are buckling up once again with hopes to win their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 2024. Although the team has never lifted the trophy in 16 years, RCB has one of the most passionate and loyal fanbases in the game's history chanting the slogan 'E sala cup namde' meaning 'this year the cup is ours'. The 2024 IPL season is set to begin on March 22, and Faf du Plessis and his team of proven stars will face off against the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings in Chepauk. (Tournament Guide | More Cricket News)
When powerhouse teams like CSK and Mumbai Indians were dominating the Indian Premier League, RCB was becoming infamous for their losing streak. However, despite all the defeats, people still have a soft spot for RCB. Why is that? It's because of their never-say-die attitude that always keeps their fans hopeful. In the inaugural season way back in 2008, the team came at a bottom-two finish, but they dragged themselves through hardship and emerged as runners-up the following year in 2009. under the leadership of the great batter, Virat Kohli, the Challengers have made it to the finals four times in 2016.
In 2022, with Faf du Plessis as captain, they reached the playoffs for the third consecutive time. In 2023, the team was knocked out of the playoffs dream by a defeat to Gujarat Titans, finishing the season in sixth place. Time and over again often did RCB more than spectacular but remained a sad story in the end, they could not win the tournament even once.
In the unpredictable sport of cricket, a historical win for RCB in the year 2024 would not be a surprise, but rather an astonishment. This time around, the team has undergone several changes, including a new coach and the addition of international stars, all aimed at winning the IPL trophy for the first time. It is worth noting that they hold the record for both the highest and the lowest totals in the league, with 263 and 49 runs respectively.
During the 2024 IPL auction, the Royal Challengers Bangalore acquired the West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph for 11.50 crore INR. They also traded Cameron Green from Mumbai Indians for 5 crore INR. Here are the names of the players bought, retained and released in the auction
Head Coach: Andy Flower
Captain: Faf Du Plessis
Batters: Faf Du Plessis, Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Saurav Chauhan
All Rounders: Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Cameron Green, Swapnil Singh, Mayank Dagar, Manoj Bhandage
Bowlers: Akash Deep, Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammad Siraj, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Vyshak Vijay Kumar
RCB players bought at IPL 2024 auction:
Alzarri Joseph (11.50 crore INR), Yash Dayal (5 crore INR), Tom Curran (1.5 crore INR), Lockie Ferguson (2 crore INR), Swapnil Singh (20 lakh INR), Saurav Chauhan (20 lakh INR).
RCB players retained at IPL 2024 auction:
Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Manoj Bhandage, Karn Sharma, Mayank Dagar (from Sunrisers Hyderabad), Vijaykumar Vyshak, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green (from Mumbai Indians).
RCB players released at IPL 2024 auction:
Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Josh Hazlewood, Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, David Willey, Wayne Parnell, Sonu Yadav, Avinash Singh, Siddharth Kaul, Kedar Jadhavcrore), Rovman Powell (Rajasthan Royals, 7.40 crore INR), Travis Head (Sunrisers Hyderabad 6.80 crore INR), and Harry Brook (Delhi Capitals, 4 Crore INR).
March 22: CSK vs RCB in Chennai at 7:30 PM IST
March 25: RCB vs PBKS at 7:30 PM IST in Bengaluru
March 29: RCB vs KKR at 7:30 PM in Bengaluru
April 2: RCB vs LSG at 7:30 PM IST in Bengaluru
April 6: RR vs RCB at 7:30 PM IST in Jaipur
The team has already started their pre-tournament campaign without their numero uno, Virat Kohli. He will join the squad soon for the pre-season training session. On March 19, Royal Challengers Bangalore will host a grand event called 'RCB Unbox', which will feature many star players. The world-famous and sensational singer, Alan Walker, is expected to perform at the event.