IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Players Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Can Target

IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Players Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Can Target. Lucknow Super Giants were one of the two new franchises that made their debut in IPL 2022. The Lucknow-based franchise became the first one to represent Uttar Pradesh in the Indian Premier League. KL Rahul was named the captain of the team. The team management formed a stellar squad at the IPL 2022 mega auction.

As expected, LSG made it to the playoffs in their debut season, but they could not win the title. Lucknow finished third on the points table, meaning they had to play in the Eliminator match. Royal Challengers Bangalore knocked them out of the competition by defeating them in the Eliminator match.

Lucknow Super Giants may release Indian batter Manish Pandey, Australian fast bowler Andrew Tye, and Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis because of his hefty price tag.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) always had superstars in their lineups, from the now-Indian coach Rahul Dravid in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League, to the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle. Yet, they never have really gelled as a unit, and the title has remained elusive.

Royal Challengers Bangalore had a good outing in IPL 2022. In fact, they have been doing well in the last few seasons. That said, the expectation will be that the franchise must go all the way. They do have a few gaps in the squad. The Faf du Plessis-led squad can target a few good IPL 2023 auction signings but can also a few talented cricketers in the IPL 2023 trade window.

The likes of Aneeshwar Gautam, Siddharth Kaul, Karn Sharma, Chama Milind, Akash Deep, David Willey and Luvnith Sisodia may be released by RCB before IPL 2023 mini auctions.

IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Players Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Can Target

Siddharth Kaul

An experienced pacer, Siddharth Kaul was picked by the RCB at the IPL 2022 Mega Auction for INR 75 lakhs. Right-arm pacer, Siddarth Kaul, who has represented the Kolkata Knight Riders, and Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) was a regular member in the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad since 2017.

He made his ODI & T20I debuts for India in 2018. Siddharth Kaul is more than a handy bowler in the shortest format of the game. He played only 1 game for RCB in IPL 2022 and returned with figures of 0/43. The pacer, who has 58 scalps in 55 IPL games, may be picked by Lucknow if Bangalore releases him before IPL 2023.

In the bowling charts, it was Punjab’s Siddarth Kaul leading the statistics in recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022. He ended with 19 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 13.10 and an economy rate of 6.72. His best bowling figures in the tournament were 5/12.

Rajat Patidar

Born in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Rajat Patidar joined RCB in IPL 2022 as a replacement for the injured Luvnith Sisodia for the price of INR 20 Lakh. The right-handed batter previously represented RCB in IPL 2021 and scored 71 runs in the four games he played in the season.

The 28-year-old batter scored 333 runs in 8 IPL 2022 games averaging 55.5 at a strike rate of 152.75. He also hit a ton (112*) in IPL 2022, following which he was selected for the Indian team. He is yet to debut for India though.

Rajat Patidar had earned his maiden India ODI call-up after being named in the squad for the three-match series against South Africa. He didn’t get a game there but was selected later for the Bangladesh ODI series. Although it’s unlikely that RCB will release him, Lucknow may pick the middle-order batter if they don’t retain him in IPL 2023.

Shahbaz Ahmed

The left-arm spinner, Shahbaz Ahmed was bought back by the RCB at the 2022 IPL Mega Auction. After a bidding war with the KKR, RCB finally got their man for INR 2.4 crore. A fine spinner and a handy batter, Shahbaz Ahmed, has played a total of 29 games in the league with his best bowling figures being 3/7. He has scored 279 runs and taken 13 scalps.

In IPL 2022 alone, he amassed 219 runs in 16 games averaging 27.38. He may be targeted by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2023 and he can team up with the likes of spin all-rounders Krunal Pandya and Krishnappa Gowtham.