The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just around the corner and promises to be an extremely exciting and a closely contested tournament. The teams have geared up for the tourney by filling the gaps in their squads. While some teams like Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have strengthened their pace bowling and all-rounder departments, others like Sunrisers Hyderabad have consolidated their middle order. The Bengaluru-based franchise would hope to end its title drought this year with a comprehensive squad and impressive bench-strength at their disposal.

During the previous edition of the IPL, apart from its fast bowling concerns, another problem plaguing the Bangalore Army was the lack of suitable opening options throughout the journey of the tournament. Parthiv patel and Virat Kohli were the regular openers for the team with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/if-the-england-team-comes-to-pakistan-i-will-be-a-part-of-it-moeen-ali/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moeen Ali</a> and Shimron Hetmyer trying their hands at starting the innings for a couple of games.

Despite their talent and excellent performances, albeit in bits, the combination never really took off as RCB earned the wooden spoon by finishing at the bottom of the points table. Ever since Chris Gayle left, RCB have struggled to get a regular and successful opening combination.

However, this may well be the year RCB’s fortunes change. The think-tank of the challengers has made sure that they have plenty of options to fill in that opening slot for this year. Their squad is an interesting blend of experienced campaigners as well as exciting new prospects.

Here we look at 5 players who can open for RCB in IPL 2020:

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-393531" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Aaron-Finch-1.jpg" alt="Aaron Finch" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-393531" class="wp-caption-text">Aaron Finch. (Photo by Robert Cianflone &#8211; CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)</figcaption>

The Australian ODI and T20I captain is one of the best openers in limited overs formats across the globe. The 33-year-old batsman from Victoria has been pretty successful in most of his recent outings. He also holds the record of playing for the highest number of IPL franchises ever, RCB being his 8th team. Inclusion of the No. 3 ranked T20I batsman in the squad has added much needed firepower to the RCB batting department.

With a strike rate of 156.48 in T20Is at an average of 38.4, his credentials in the shortest format of the game need no introduction. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/it-hurts-every-day-aaron-finch-reflects-back-on-world-cup-2019-semi-final-defeat-against-england/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Aaron Finch</a> also holds the record of the highest individual score in T20Is, it being 172 from 76 balls which he scored against Zimbabwe. Finch’s returns in IPL have been mediocre, having scored 1737 runs in 73 innings at an average of just over 25. However, going by his current form, he has a strong case to make for his inclusion as a first choice opener in the RCB XI.

Finch has always been a match-winner and has the ability to turn the match on its head. Along with his batting exploits, his excellent and bold decision making may also work in his favour. The skipper Virat Kohli could benefit from the inputs given by the Australian captain. If Finch clicks at the top order, he may turn out to be Chris Gayle&#8217;s replacement RCB had been looking for.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-397088" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Josh-Philippe.jpg" alt="Josh Philippe" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-397088" class="wp-caption-text">Josh Philippe. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)</figcaption>

The 22-year-old batsman from Western Australia is touted to be the next big thing in Australian Cricket. An explosive batsman at the top of the order coupled with appreciable wicket-keeping skills is a complete package for any T20I team. Josh Philippe came into limelight during this season when he opened for the Sydney Sixers throughout the tournament. He shone while opening the innings and was responsible for giving quick starts for his franchise.

Philippe scored 487 runs from 16 innings at an average of 37.46 and also ended up as the third highest run scorer. He was the highest run scorer for his franchise as well. Apart from this, the Sixers opener also played a match winning innings of 52 from 29 balls in the Final. During the auction conducted on 19th December 2019, Philippe was a steal deal as RCB snapped him up for his base price of Rs. 20 lakh.

Josh is an exciting new prospect and brings an X-factor to the highly experienced RCB batting line-up. Add to that his wicket-keeping abilities and he may emerge as an appropriate replacement for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/wriddhiman-saha-is-the-best-wicketkeeper-in-the-world-parthiv-patel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Parthiv Patel</a>.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-370959" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Devdutt-Padikkal.jpg" alt="Devdutt Padikkal" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-370959" class="wp-caption-text">Devdutt Padikkal. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

The 19 year old batsman from Edapal in Kerala has been the find of 2019-20 Indian Domestic season. Playing as a regular opener for Karnataka, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/smat-2019-twitter-goes-berserk-as-devdutt-padikkal-continues-his-whirlwind-form-in-the-semi-final/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Devdutt Padikkal</a> has been extremely consistent throughout the limited overs leg of the season. He first came under limelight when scored 72 from 53 deliveries for his team Ballari Tuskers in the Karnataka Premier League. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and found himself picked up by RCB for the 2018 edition of the IPL.

Though he didn’t get any chance to showcase his skills in the previous edition, that didn’t deter him at all as he went on to score a truckload of runs in domestic cricket. He was the highest run scorer in the Vijay Hazare trophy scoring 609 runs from just 11 innings at a stunning average of 67.67 with 2 hundreds. He was also the highest run scorer in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019 scoring 456 runs in just 10 matches at an impressive average of 57 and an astonishing strike rate of 170.78.  He also hit the highest number of sixes (26) during the tourney.

Padikkal has already bagged an award of the best batsman from the Karnataka State Cricket Association for his excellent contribution. As his numbers suggest, he is an explosive opener and is capable of leading his team off to flying starts. He has already come under the attention of many cricketing experts. With age on his side, he can be a viable option as an opener for RCB for the present as well as the subsequent seasons.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-396547" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Parthiv-Patel-1.jpg" alt="Parthiv Patel" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-396547" class="wp-caption-text">Parthiv Patel. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

The experienced left-handed batsman from Gujarat was one of the few bright spots for Gujarat during the previous season. The 34-year-old player from Gujarat has a lot of experience of playing in the IPL. He has been a part of 6 franchises so far. An attacking left-handed opener, he got RCB off to quick starts a number of times during the last season.

Parthiv Patel has played 139 matches in IPL so far and has scored 2848 runs with a highest of 81. Though his international career is all but over, yet his importance in domestic cricket is unmatched. He has been Gujarat&#8217;s captain for quite some time now. Over the years, he has matured a lot which can be seen in his batting and his shot selection.

Patel was quite impressive for RCB during the last season when he opened the batting with skipper Virat Kohli. He was one of the few players retained by the franchise ahead of the auctions in December 2019 which speaks volumes about the franchise’s faith in his capabilities. It would hardly be a surprise if they decide to stick with him as an opener for this edition as well.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-325729" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Virat-Kohli-rcb.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli Royal Challengers Bangalore RCB" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-325729" class="wp-caption-text">Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: IANS)</figcaption>

The Indian Skipper without any doubt makes the list courtesy his envious records in the IPL. Though he plays at No. 3 for India is the limited overs formats, he has been exceptionally successful while opening in the IPL. He has scored 5 hundreds in the cash-rich league, all of them while opening the innings. The Delhi batsman is one of the top contenders for opening even in this edition of the IPL.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-releases-new-ad-campaign-featuring-virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-and-rishabh-pant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Virat Kohli</a> is the only player who has played for a single team throughout the 12 editions of the league. He also holds the record of being the all time highest run scorer of the tournament. In 170 innings, he has scored 5412 runs at an average of 37.85 and a strike rate of 131.61. As an opener, in 60 innings, he has scored 2339 runs at an average of 48.73 and a strike rate of 140.40.

Kohli has the ability of giving quick starts in the beginning. However, if the situation so requires, he can also effectively adapt to a cautious approach equally well. Despite not being a specialist opener, he is one of the top choices to open for RCB this year. Though the batting line-up of the Bengaluru based team is filled with opening stalwarts this year, Virat Kohli may give himself a go-ahead for the opening owing to his excellent record.

~Written by Sanjam Singh Arora

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just around the corner and promises to be an extremely exciting and a closely contested tournament. The teams have geared up for the tourney by filling the gaps in their squads. While some teams like Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have strengthened their pace bowling and all-rounder departments, others like Sunrisers Hyderabad have consolidated their middle order. The Bengaluru-based franchise would hope to end its title drought this year with a comprehensive squad and impressive bench-strength at their disposal.
During the previous edition of the IPL, apart from its fast bowling concerns, another problem plaguing the Bangalore Army was the lack of suitable opening options throughout the journey of the tournament. Parthiv patel and Virat Kohli were the regular openers for the team with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/if-the-england-team-comes-to-pakistan-i-will-be-a-part-of-it-moeen-ali/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moeen Ali</a> and Shimron Hetmyer trying their hands at starting the innings for a couple of games.
Despite their talent and excellent performances, albeit in bits, the combination never really took off as RCB earned the wooden spoon by finishing at the bottom of the points table. Ever since Chris Gayle left, RCB have struggled to get a regular and successful opening combination.
However, this may well be the year RCB’s fortunes change. The think-tank of the challengers has made sure that they have plenty of options to fill in that opening slot for this year. Their squad is an interesting blend of experienced campaigners as well as exciting new prospects.
<h3>Here we look at 5 players who can open for RCB in IPL 2020:</h3>
<h3>1. Aaron Finch</h3>
<figure id="attachment_393531" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-393531" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-393531" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Aaron-Finch-1.jpg" alt="Aaron Finch" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-393531" class="wp-caption-text">Aaron Finch. (Photo by Robert Cianflone – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
The Australian ODI and T20I captain is one of the best openers in limited overs formats across the globe. The 33-year-old batsman from Victoria has been pretty successful in most of his recent outings. He also holds the record of playing for the highest number of IPL franchises ever, RCB being his 8th team. Inclusion of the No. 3 ranked T20I batsman in the squad has added much needed firepower to the RCB batting department.
With a strike rate of 156.48 in T20Is at an average of 38.4, his credentials in the shortest format of the game need no introduction. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/it-hurts-every-day-aaron-finch-reflects-back-on-world-cup-2019-semi-final-defeat-against-england/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Aaron Finch</a> also holds the record of the highest individual score in T20Is, it being 172 from 76 balls which he scored against Zimbabwe. Finch’s returns in IPL have been mediocre, having scored 1737 runs in 73 innings at an average of just over 25. However, going by his current form, he has a strong case to make for his inclusion as a first choice opener in the RCB XI.
Finch has always been a match-winner and has the ability to turn the match on its head. Along with his batting exploits, his excellent and bold decision making may also work in his favour. The skipper Virat Kohli could benefit from the inputs given by the Australian captain. If Finch clicks at the top order, he may turn out to be Chris Gayle’s replacement RCB had been looking for.
<h3>2. Josh Philippe</h3>
<figure id="attachment_397088" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-397088" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-397088" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Josh-Philippe.jpg" alt="Josh Philippe" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-397088" class="wp-caption-text">Josh Philippe. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
The 22-year-old batsman from Western Australia is touted to be the next big thing in Australian Cricket. An explosive batsman at the top of the order coupled with appreciable wicket-keeping skills is a complete package for any T20I team. Josh Philippe came into limelight during this season when he opened for the Sydney Sixers throughout the tournament. He shone while opening the innings and was responsible for giving quick starts for his franchise.
Philippe scored 487 runs from 16 innings at an average of 37.46 and also ended up as the third highest run scorer. He was the highest run scorer for his franchise as well. Apart from this, the Sixers opener also played a match winning innings of 52 from 29 balls in the Final. During the auction conducted on 19th December 2019, Philippe was a steal deal as RCB snapped him up for his base price of Rs. 20 lakh.
Josh is an exciting new prospect and brings an X-factor to the highly experienced RCB batting line-up. Add to that his wicket-keeping abilities and he may emerge as an appropriate replacement for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/wriddhiman-saha-is-the-best-wicketkeeper-in-the-world-parthiv-patel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Parthiv Patel</a>.
<h3>3. Devdutt Padikkal</h3>
<figure id="attachment_370959" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-370959" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-370959" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Devdutt-Padikkal.jpg" alt="Devdutt Padikkal" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-370959" class="wp-caption-text">Devdutt Padikkal. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The 19 year old batsman from Edapal in Kerala has been the find of 2019-20 Indian Domestic season. Playing as a regular opener for Karnataka, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/smat-2019-twitter-goes-berserk-as-devdutt-padikkal-continues-his-whirlwind-form-in-the-semi-final/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Devdutt Padikkal</a> has been extremely consistent throughout the limited overs leg of the season. He first came under limelight when scored 72 from 53 deliveries for his team Ballari Tuskers in the Karnataka Premier League. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and found himself picked up by RCB for the 2018 edition of the IPL.
Though he didn’t get any chance to showcase his skills in the previous edition, that didn’t deter him at all as he went on to score a truckload of runs in domestic cricket. He was the highest run scorer in the Vijay Hazare trophy scoring 609 runs from just 11 innings at a stunning average of 67.67 with 2 hundreds. He was also the highest run scorer in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019 scoring 456 runs in just 10 matches at an impressive average of 57 and an astonishing strike rate of 170.78.&nbsp; He also hit the highest number of sixes (26) during the tourney.
Padikkal has already bagged an award of the best batsman from the Karnataka State Cricket Association for his excellent contribution. As his numbers suggest, he is an explosive opener and is capable of leading his team off to flying starts. He has already come under the attention of many cricketing experts. With age on his side, he can be a viable option as an opener for RCB for the present as well as the subsequent seasons.
<h3>4. Parthiv Patel</h3>
<figure id="attachment_396547" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-396547" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-396547" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Parthiv-Patel-1.jpg" alt="Parthiv Patel" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-396547" class="wp-caption-text">Parthiv Patel. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The experienced left-handed batsman from Gujarat was one of the few bright spots for Gujarat during the previous season. The 34-year-old player from Gujarat has a lot of experience of playing in the IPL. He has been a part of 6 franchises so far. An attacking left-handed opener, he got RCB off to quick starts a number of times during the last season.
Parthiv Patel has played 139 matches in IPL so far and has scored 2848 runs with a highest of 81. Though his international career is all but over, yet his importance in domestic cricket is unmatched. He has been Gujarat’s captain for quite some time now. Over the years, he has matured a lot which can be seen in his batting and his shot selection.
Patel was quite impressive for RCB during the last season when he opened the batting with skipper Virat Kohli. He was one of the few players retained by the franchise ahead of the auctions in December 2019 which speaks volumes about the franchise’s faith in his capabilities. It would hardly be a surprise if they decide to stick with him as an opener for this edition as well.
<h3>5. Virat Kohli</h3>
<figure id="attachment_325729" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-325729" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-325729" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Virat-Kohli-rcb.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli Royal Challengers Bangalore RCB" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-325729" class="wp-caption-text">Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The Indian Skipper without any doubt makes the list courtesy his envious records in the IPL. Though he plays at No. 3 for India is the limited overs formats, he has been exceptionally successful while opening in the IPL. He has scored 5 hundreds in the cash-rich league, all of them while opening the innings. The Delhi batsman is one of the top contenders for opening even in this edition of the IPL.
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-releases-new-ad-campaign-featuring-virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-and-rishabh-pant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Virat Kohli</a> is the only player who has played for a single team throughout the 12 editions of the league. He also holds the record of being the all time highest run scorer of the tournament. In 170 innings, he has scored 5412 runs at an average of 37.85 and a strike rate of 131.61. As an opener, in 60 innings, he has scored 2339 runs at an average of 48.73 and a strike rate of 140.40.
Kohli has the ability of giving quick starts in the beginning. However, if the situation so requires, he can also effectively adapt to a cautious approach equally well. Despite not being a specialist opener, he is one of the top choices to open for RCB this year. Though the batting line-up of the Bengaluru based team is filled with opening stalwarts this year, Virat Kohli may give himself a go-ahead for the opening owing to his excellent record.
~Written by Sanjam Singh Arora

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just around the corner and promises to be an extremely exciting and a closely contested tournament. The teams have geared up for the tourney by filling the gaps in their squads. While some teams like Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have strengthened their pace bowling and all-rounder departments, others like Sunrisers Hyderabad have consolidated their middle order. The Bengaluru-based franchise would hope to end its title drought this year with a comprehensive squad and impressive bench-strength at their disposal.
During the previous edition of the IPL, apart from its fast bowling concerns, another problem plaguing the Bangalore Army was the lack of suitable opening options throughout the journey of the tournament. Parthiv patel and Virat Kohli were the regular openers for the team with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/if-the-england-team-comes-to-pakistan-i-will-be-a-part-of-it-moeen-ali/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moeen Ali</a> and Shimron Hetmyer trying their hands at starting the innings for a couple of games.
Despite their talent and excellent performances, albeit in bits, the combination never really took off as RCB earned the wooden spoon by finishing at the bottom of the points table. Ever since Chris Gayle left, RCB have struggled to get a regular and successful opening combination.
However, this may well be the year RCB’s fortunes change. The think-tank of the challengers has made sure that they have plenty of options to fill in that opening slot for this year. Their squad is an interesting blend of experienced campaigners as well as exciting new prospects.
<h3>Here we look at 5 players who can open for RCB in IPL 2020:</h3>
<h3>1. Aaron Finch</h3>
<figure id="attachment_393531" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-393531" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-393531" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Aaron-Finch-1.jpg" alt="Aaron Finch" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-393531" class="wp-caption-text">Aaron Finch. (Photo by Robert Cianflone &#8211; CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
The Australian ODI and T20I captain is one of the best openers in limited overs formats across the globe. The 33-year-old batsman from Victoria has been pretty successful in most of his recent outings. He also holds the record of playing for the highest number of IPL franchises ever, RCB being his 8th team. Inclusion of the No. 3 ranked T20I batsman in the squad has added much needed firepower to the RCB batting department.
With a strike rate of 156.48 in T20Is at an average of 38.4, his credentials in the shortest format of the game need no introduction. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/it-hurts-every-day-aaron-finch-reflects-back-on-world-cup-2019-semi-final-defeat-against-england/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Aaron Finch</a> also holds the record of the highest individual score in T20Is, it being 172 from 76 balls which he scored against Zimbabwe. Finch’s returns in IPL have been mediocre, having scored 1737 runs in 73 innings at an average of just over 25. However, going by his current form, he has a strong case to make for his inclusion as a first choice opener in the RCB XI.
Finch has always been a match-winner and has the ability to turn the match on its head. Along with his batting exploits, his excellent and bold decision making may also work in his favour. The skipper Virat Kohli could benefit from the inputs given by the Australian captain. If Finch clicks at the top order, he may turn out to be Chris Gayle&#8217;s replacement RCB had been looking for.
<h3>2. Josh Philippe</h3>
<figure id="attachment_397088" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-397088" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-397088" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Josh-Philippe.jpg" alt="Josh Philippe" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-397088" class="wp-caption-text">Josh Philippe. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
The 22-year-old batsman from Western Australia is touted to be the next big thing in Australian Cricket. An explosive batsman at the top of the order coupled with appreciable wicket-keeping skills is a complete package for any T20I team. Josh Philippe came into limelight during this season when he opened for the Sydney Sixers throughout the tournament. He shone while opening the innings and was responsible for giving quick starts for his franchise.
Philippe scored 487 runs from 16 innings at an average of 37.46 and also ended up as the third highest run scorer. He was the highest run scorer for his franchise as well. Apart from this, the Sixers opener also played a match winning innings of 52 from 29 balls in the Final. During the auction conducted on 19th December 2019, Philippe was a steal deal as RCB snapped him up for his base price of Rs. 20 lakh.
Josh is an exciting new prospect and brings an X-factor to the highly experienced RCB batting line-up. Add to that his wicket-keeping abilities and he may emerge as an appropriate replacement for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/wriddhiman-saha-is-the-best-wicketkeeper-in-the-world-parthiv-patel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Parthiv Patel</a>.
<h3>3. Devdutt Padikkal</h3>
<figure id="attachment_370959" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-370959" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-370959" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Devdutt-Padikkal.jpg" alt="Devdutt Padikkal" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-370959" class="wp-caption-text">Devdutt Padikkal. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The 19 year old batsman from Edapal in Kerala has been the find of 2019-20 Indian Domestic season. Playing as a regular opener for Karnataka, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/smat-2019-twitter-goes-berserk-as-devdutt-padikkal-continues-his-whirlwind-form-in-the-semi-final/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Devdutt Padikkal</a> has been extremely consistent throughout the limited overs leg of the season. He first came under limelight when scored 72 from 53 deliveries for his team Ballari Tuskers in the Karnataka Premier League. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and found himself picked up by RCB for the 2018 edition of the IPL.
Though he didn’t get any chance to showcase his skills in the previous edition, that didn’t deter him at all as he went on to score a truckload of runs in domestic cricket. He was the highest run scorer in the Vijay Hazare trophy scoring 609 runs from just 11 innings at a stunning average of 67.67 with 2 hundreds. He was also the highest run scorer in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019 scoring 456 runs in just 10 matches at an impressive average of 57 and an astonishing strike rate of 170.78.  He also hit the highest number of sixes (26) during the tourney.
Padikkal has already bagged an award of the best batsman from the Karnataka State Cricket Association for his excellent contribution. As his numbers suggest, he is an explosive opener and is capable of leading his team off to flying starts. He has already come under the attention of many cricketing experts. With age on his side, he can be a viable option as an opener for RCB for the present as well as the subsequent seasons.
<h3>4. Parthiv Patel</h3>
<figure id="attachment_396547" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-396547" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-396547" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Parthiv-Patel-1.jpg" alt="Parthiv Patel" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-396547" class="wp-caption-text">Parthiv Patel. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
The experienced left-handed batsman from Gujarat was one of the few bright spots for Gujarat during the previous season. The 34-year-old player from Gujarat has a lot of experience of playing in the IPL. He has been a part of 6 franchises so far. An attacking left-handed opener, he got RCB off to quick starts a number of times during the last season.
Parthiv Patel has played 139 matches in IPL so far and has scored 2848 runs with a highest of 81. Though his international career is all but over, yet his importance in domestic cricket is unmatched. He has been Gujarat&#8217;s captain for quite some time now. Over the years, he has matured a lot which can be seen in his batting and his shot selection.
Patel was quite impressive for RCB during the last season when he opened the batting with skipper Virat Kohli. He was one of the few players retained by the franchise ahead of the auctions in December 2019 which speaks volumes about the franchise’s faith in his capabilities. It would hardly be a surprise if they decide to stick with him as an opener for this edition as well.
<h3>5. Virat Kohli</h3>
<figure id="attachment_325729" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-325729" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-325729" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Virat-Kohli-rcb.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli Royal Challengers Bangalore RCB" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-325729" class="wp-caption-text">Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: IANS)</figcaption></figure>
The Indian Skipper without any doubt makes the list courtesy his envious records in the IPL. Though he plays at No. 3 for India is the limited overs formats, he has been exceptionally successful while opening in the IPL. He has scored 5 hundreds in the cash-rich league, all of them while opening the innings. The Delhi batsman is one of the top contenders for opening even in this edition of the IPL.
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-releases-new-ad-campaign-featuring-virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-and-rishabh-pant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Virat Kohli</a> is the only player who has played for a single team throughout the 12 editions of the league. He also holds the record of being the all time highest run scorer of the tournament. In 170 innings, he has scored 5412 runs at an average of 37.85 and a strike rate of 131.61. As an opener, in 60 innings, he has scored 2339 runs at an average of 48.73 and a strike rate of 140.40.
Kohli has the ability of giving quick starts in the beginning. However, if the situation so requires, he can also effectively adapt to a cautious approach equally well. Despite not being a specialist opener, he is one of the top choices to open for RCB this year. Though the batting line-up of the Bengaluru based team is filled with opening stalwarts this year, Virat Kohli may give himself a go-ahead for the opening owing to his excellent record.
~Written by Sanjam Singh Arora

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