IPL 2022: 5 Players who were underutilized by RCB

Royal Challengers Bangalore looked a strong team on paper, having made some big signings in batting, bowling, and all-rounders categories. They also appointed veteran South African batter Faf du Plessis as their new captain just a couple of weeks before the commencement of IPL 2022. With plenty of depth in their squad, RCB were expected to do well this time around.

However, the team showcased inconsistent performances in the league stages and were heavily dependent on veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik in the batting department and Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga in the bowling. In the end, they had to rely on Mumbai Indians for a playoff berth.

In the playoffs, the Bengaluru-based franchise did break the Eliminator jinx with a 14-run win over the Lucknow Super Giants, but a seven-wicket defeat in Qualifier 2 to Rajasthan Royals brought curtains down to their campaign. RCB might have qualified for the top four for a third successive season, but they did not utilize all of their signed players to the fullest. Without further ado, here’s a look at five of them.

Sherfane Rutherford

West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford was signed by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 1 crore at the two-day mega auction in February. Apart from his right-arm fast-medium bowling, the Rutherford is also known for being a handy batter lower down the order and is a proven all-rounder in the shortest format, having the reputation of finishing games with his natural six-hitting abilities.

In the three matches that he got in IPL 2022, the Guyanese cricketer scored 33 runs averaging 16.50, and a strike rate of exactly 66 with his highest individual score being 28. However, he failed to make an impression in the wickets column as he didn’t get a chance to bowl.

He was then benched for his underwhelming performances and the team management did not show any faith in him for the remainder of the tournament.