IPL: 5 Players who were underutilized by RCB

RCB is one of the most popular teams in the IPL. Even though the franchise is yet to win a trophy, it has attained a huge fanbase. It is particularly due to the reason that Virat Kohli & AB de Villiers belong to this side who have a legion of fans. 

Although RCB is having a very fine season this time around with possibly their best start to any season, things haven’t always been the same for RCB. In fact, they didn’t qualify into the playoffs between the 2017 and 2019 edition. One big reason behind their failures is the team management belonging to them. 

RCB has been joined by some really fine players over the years. But they couldn’t give in their best for RCB and went on to do better for other franchises. We are going to look at some of those players who would have done better if they were managed better by RCB management. 

5 Players who were underutilized by RCB

1. Quinton De Kock

Quinton De Kock is currently playing for Mumbai Indians and has been having a blast for the team ever since he was picked in the 2019 edition. He has scored in the excess of 500 runs in each season he played for MI with an impressive average of 35 in both seasons. He has scored nine half-centuries in the last couple of seasons and has been one of the best batsmen for MI. 

But what went wrong in the case of RCB for him? The reason is that RCB underutilized him completely. While MI trusted him fully and gave him a chance in each of the matches, RCB left him out more often than not in the 2018 edition even though he was in pretty good touch. He scored 201 runs at an average of 25 for RCB which wasn’t bad by any means. 

The 2018 edition was one of the worst IPL seasons for RCB as they finished 6th on the points table. They played Parthiv Patel over De Kock who did well in his own rights but was never a match-winner. Leaving out a player having caliber like De Kock was a very questionable decision on part of the Bangalore franchise. 

2. Nathan Coulter-Nile 

RCB has always had the dire need of a good fast bowler. The batting has always been the strong part of RCB with a number of match-winners on their side. But, bowling is a big issue which they have never been able to solve completely. 

RCB had bought Nathan Coulter-Nile in 2018 in order to make amends for their horrible pace attack in previous seasons. It was a very good decision to buy Nathan who had a solid season for KKR the year before. He was instrumental in getting the entire RCB all out for an infamous 49 runs in one of the most humiliating defeats for the Virat Kohli-led team. 

It turned out that they didn’t play Nathan Coulter-Nile for a single game. He was removed from the team without really debuting for them. Could they have shown more faith in him as he battled his injuries? Absolutely, considering how badly they needed a bowler of his experience in the team. 

3. KL Rahul

KL Rahul’s IPL career can be summed up in two different parts, playing for RCB and playing for Punjab Kings. He never had a bad run for RCB by any means. In fact, he was doing a great job for the red & gold franchise. 

But he wasn’t getting used as an opener which is a natural position to him. Although he had a great 2016 edition for RCB with 397 runs at an average of 44, he was not bought back by them. He was eventually sent to Punjab Kings where he was destined to be an opening batsman.

KL Rahul is doing a fantastic job at the top of the order and is the leading run-getter in the last four seasons. RCB might be regretting not retaining him considering how many problems they have faced in their top order since 2018. 

4. Shane Watson 

Shane Watson might not be talked about enough but he has to be one of the best all-rounders in the modern era. He had a great run in the IPL as well with both bat as well as bowl. However, things didn’t go quite his way when he played for RCB. 

He played a handful of matches for the franchise but didn’t score a single 50. He was their man with the golden arm having picked 20 wickets in the entire 2016 edition of IPL. But he also bowled the infamous last over in the finals that year which went on to create the difference between the win and loss for RCB. 

He bowled like a champion but he was never batted in his normal position just like KL Rahul. He batted way down the order where he couldn’t prove his effectiveness. Virat Kohli himself opened those seasons and he was absolutely incredible but could he give the chance to Shane Watson somewhere at the top of the order? These are all going to be ifs and buts at this point. 

5. Adam Zampa

Adam Zampa is one of the best spinners in limited over cricket right now. He has done significantly well for Australia and leads the spin attack for them. Adam Zampa did well in the IPL too, being the only second bowler to take a six-wicket haul back in 2016 for RPS against SRH. 

Over a period of time, he has only gotten better as a bowler. There was a great chance of using him as a partner for Chahal in the 2020 edition of IPL for RCB. But they choose to play him in just three games. 

He didn’t have a great time in those three matches, having picked just two wickets with an economy rate of over 8. But there was always a chance for him to do better on slow tracks in UAE. When a bowler having capabilities like Adam Zampa is in your team, you can’t play him for just two games and bench him for the rest of the season.