RCB-team

Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL

The curtain-raiser of the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just a few days away and the teams are sweating hard in the nets. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) also look all set for their opening game of the season against Punjab Kings on March 27. With a new leader in Faf du Plessis, RCB will once again be searching for their maiden title.

With Devdutt Padikkal gone, Faf du Plessis is set to take one of the opening slots. However, there was a question about the second opener for RCB for IPL 2022 and it looks like the management has finalized the name. Although Virat Kohli opened for RCB last season, he may not get the second opener's slot as the management wants him to bat at No. 3.

Kohli has phenomenal numbers while opening for RCB, but his usual batting position is one down. And with an experienced campaigner in du Plessis already available at the helm, the Bangalore management wants Kohli to take the No. 3 slot and anchor the innings in the middle order.

Then who will open alongside du Plessis?

Now, with Kohli batting at No.3, the second opening slot stays up for grabs. And it looks like Anuj Rawat is all set to open alongside du Plessis in IPL 2022 for RCB.

Is Anuj Rawat a good choice?

Although Rawat has not had much experience batting in IPL, he has shown what he can do at the top of the order while playing for India in U19 and for Delhi in domestic T20 tournaments. Also, having someone like du Plessis at the other end who is also the captain of the team, Rawat will feel confident. Moreover, the southpaw had said that he is ready to bat at any position for the team. So, undoubtedly, Rawat is a great replacement for Devdutt Padikkal.

RCB IPL 2022 squad: Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Faf du Plessis, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahmed, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudessai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma, David Willey, Luvnith Sisodia, Siddharth Kaul

RCB Probable XI for the first few games: Faf du Plessis, Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell/Sherfane Rutherford, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood/Jason Behrendorff, Mohammad Siraj, Harshal Patel