‘Balance of RCB squad 10 times better compared to previous seasons’: AB de Villiers | Ipl News

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) player AB de Villiers said that RCB’s team balance looks 10 times better this season as compared to the last seasons after the Bengaluru franchise started their Indian Premier League campaign off with a bang with away wins against Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. In the opener on March 22, RCB defeated KKR 7 wickets while on Friday, they won at the Chepauk for the first time since 2008, defeating CSK 50 runs.
“The balance of the RCB squad is 10 times better compared to previous seasons. At the auction (last year), I spoke about RCB needing balance. It’s not about the bowlers, batters or fielders… it’s about having a sound balance in IPL teams and options,” de Villiers said in his podcast.
He delved further into his point with the example of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was drafted into the team for the CSK match after sitting out the opener against KKR. It would be a shrewd decision with Bhuvneshwar snapping up Deepak Hooda in the powerplay, leading CSK to reel at 26/3 which ultimately led to their downfall.
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“I saw Bhuvi and thought ‘he wasn’t going to play and he came in’. That’s what you want. You want guys like ‘wow is this guy the replacement’. He’s not even in the starting lineup in the first game (vs KKR) and now they are getting Bhuvi Kumar to replace someone in the second game. This is the kind of balance and depth you need in the side,” de Villiers said.

RCB will next be in action against Gujarat Titans on April 2 before facing another big clash against the Mumbai Indians on April 7.