Venkatesh Prasad raises concerns over RCB's neglect of local players
What's the story
Former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad has criticized Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for not investing in local talent. He questioned whether the franchise prioritizes winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) or merely building its brand. "Other teams are putting faith in local talent, so why is not RCB doing the same?" Prasad questioned while speaking on JioHotstar. Prasad's remarks come ahead of RCB's season opener against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 22 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Team composition
RCB's current roster includes 2 players from Karnataka
The current RCB roster features two Karnataka players: all-rounder Manoj Bhandage and Indian batter Devdutt Padikkal. Notably, Bhandage, signed by RCB in 2023, is yet to make his debut for the team. Padikkal enjoyed two strong seasons with RCB in 2020 and 2021 before moving to the Rajasthan Royals and, later, the Lucknow Super Giants, where his form dipped last year.
Franchise strategy
RCB's reliance on star players
Over the years, RCB have featured several Karnataka stars, including Anil Kumble, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, KL Rahul, and Mayank Agarwal. Despite mixed success, RCB have largely relied on Virat Kohli and international stars like Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers. This strategy is in stark contrast to many other IPL franchises, who have a local player as their face.
Management critique
Prasad questions RCB's management approach
As mentioned, in a discussion on JioHotstar, Prasad said, "How a team is managed makes all the difference. Are they building a brand, or are they truly focused on winning the IPL? They need to get the best out of their players, which has not happened so far."
Season review
Former players reflect on RCB's previous season
Former Australian pacer Brett Lee and ex-Indian opener Aakash Chopra also shared their thoughts on RCB's previous season. Despite a rocky start where they won only one of their first eight games, Lee highlighted their remarkable comeback with six consecutive wins. "Everyone wrote them off at the start, but I picked them to win," Lee said. Chopra echoed this sentiment, noting that despite initial bleak prospects for qualification, RCB's perseverance turned despair into hope by the end of the season.
Captaincy
Rajat Patidar becomes RCB's eighth captain in IPL
RCB named Rajat Patidar as their captain for the 2025 IPL season. The Royal Challengers announced earlier that a new skipper will be announced on February 13. Notably, Patidar helped Madhya Pradesh get to the finals of the 2024/25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Patidar has replaced Faf du Plessis, who was released by the Royal Challengers following IPL 2024. He captained the side in the previous few seasons.