Indian Premier League (IPL) team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will announce their captain for the upcoming IPL 2022 season on March 12.
Speculation is rife over who could lead the team in the new season. Several names have emerged leading the skipper role after the IPL 2022 mega auction, which was held on February 12-13 in Bengaluru.
Here are three possible candidates who could fill the position of captain at the RCB:
1. Faf du Plessis
The former South African skipper is the main contender for the RCB captaincy. Du Plessis led South Africa in two WorldT20 campaigns. He was part of the Chennai Super Kings squad before being released ahead of the auction. RCB roped up in du Plessis for Rs 7 crore. He is an experienced campaigner having played 100 IPL matches. His extensive league experience and understanding of captaincy from his days in South Africa make him a favorite for the role.
2. Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell (Image: PTI)RCB bought Australian explosive batsman Glenn Maxwell for Rs 14.25 crore ahead of the 2021 season. Last year, Maxwell had the team’s best score with 513 runs at an average of 42.75. Prior to joining RCB, Maxwell worked with the Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians. The right-handed hitter leads the Melbourne Stars in Australia’s Big Bash League. In February, Maxwell was announced as the Melbourne Stars BBL Player of the Decade. Maxwell can also do a good job as skipper of RCB.
3. Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik (Photo: AP Photos)Dinesh Karthik was brought into the RCB after the franchisee paid Rs 5.50 crore in the IPL Mega 2022 auction. Previously, he was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders since 2018. He managed KKR for two and a half seasons before relinquishing his captaincy midway through the 2020 campaign. In IPL, the wicket-keeper striker played for Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings.
Karthik is second with Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma on the list of players with the most IPL caps. The two have played 213 IPL matches. Karthik’s huge five-team IPL experience makes him an ideal candidate to lead RCB in the upcoming season.
RCB are yet to win their first IPL title. Last year, the team finished third in total points and lost the eliminator to KKR to drop out of the tournament. RCB appeared in three IPL finals but never won the title. The new skipper is expected to guide the Karnataka team to a title win.
