With the release of the rules for the retentions before the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2025, most of the teams have started their planning. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team, who ended in the fourth position, and lost to the eliminator to Rajasthan Royals in 2024, is doing the same.
RCB didn’t have a great start in the previous season of the tournament, where they could collect only one victory in the first nine encounters and were on the brink of getting eliminated from the event. But then, they turned it on with six consecutive victories and marched into the playoffs of the competition.
The history of the ‘Play Bold’ franchise claims the fact that they are not such a powerful side in the auction. Going into the auction and the retention process ahead of the upcoming IPL, the biggest question, for them, is to find a captain. Are they brave enough to retain 40-year-old Faf du Plessis?
Tom Moddy suggests RCB look for a specialist captain in the mega auction
The former coach of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who was with the team for a relationship of around nine years, feels that if the runners-up of the last season release their World Cup-winning captain, Pat Cummins, the red-army could look to go for him in the auction.
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“They (RCB) might bid for Pat Cummins, who has been released by the Sunrisers, as you don’t know what the situation is going to be. He (Virat Kohli) is a good fallback option but, I think they should look in the auction for a captain.” The former Australian all-rounder said, during an interaction with ESPNcricinfo, on the retention list.
He felt that the former Protea captain displayed his value in the captaincy by allowing Kohli to bring the best version of his batting. But the question remains if RCB could take the chance of going after him for the next three seasons.
“I think Faf (du Plessis) showed the value of his captaincy and also just allowed Virat to be the batter that we know he is capable of being. I just allow him to be unshackled and be himself with the bat in hand.” Tom spilled the beans.
The veteran also advised the Bengaluru side to go to the auction to bring a captain who would keep the balance of the side, and it could easily be the dynamic batter who can fit at the top of the batting order.
“You know, If I was RCB, I would be looking in the market at the captains and the options that they bring to the table and the franchise. You need a dynamic player to fit in at that top-order if the captain is a batter.” The 59-year-old shaded light.
The coach also cracked that this could well possibly be the bowler. But the best thing for them would be if they select a captain who would bring balance to the side.
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“You know, they might go for a bowling captain, who knows? I think you just need a list of four of five elite captains that you feel will not only plug the captaincy role but also fit in the balance of the side.” Tom Moody concluded.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) General Committee (GC) has given the deadline of October 31 for the final list of retentions to be submitted by each of the teams.