RCB aim to live up to reputation in 12th IPL

New Delhi, March 7 - After a poor finish in the last couple of years of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who have a very strong side at least on paper, will be aiming for a better outing in the 12th edition of the cash-rich league.

Despite having some big names in the side, Bangalore finished eighth in the 2017 edition and then finished sixth in the last edition.

One of the original eight teams in the IPL, the team has made three final appearances in the IPL, losing all (in 2009 to the Deccan Chargers, in 2011 to the Chennai Super Kings and in 2016 to Sunrisers Hyderabad). 

For the 12th edition, the Virat Kohli-led side has retained several players like AB de Villiers, Parthiv Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Pawan Negi, Nathan Coulter-Nile.

The side also retained Moeen Ali, Mohammed Siraj, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kulwant Khejroliya, Marcus Stoinis.

Bangalore also snapped up nine players from this edition's auction. Shivam Dube , Shimron Hetmyer , Akshdeep Nath , Prayas Barman , Himmat Singh, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Heinrich Klaasen , Devdutt Padikkal , Milind Kumar were the players who were traded.

In the recent auctions, RCB invested in many lesser known young faces like the uncapped Shivam, West Indian Hetmyer (Rs 4.2 crore), Akshdeep (Rs 3.6 crore) and Prayas Raj Barman (Rs 1.5 crore).

In the opening match, Bangalore will be facing last year's winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Bengaluru that will begin on March 23.

On an interesting note, Bangalore is the team which holds the records of both the highest and the lowest totals in the IPL (263/5 and 49).

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IANS