On RCB's IPL Auction Performance, De Villiers' Blunt 'X Factor' Verdict

Legendary South African batter AB De Villiers believes that Royal Challengers Bangalore are still missing a quality spinner even after the IPL 2024 Auction. While reviewing RCB’s performance in the auction, De Villiers pointed out that RCB released Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga ahead of the new season but they failed to buy a proper alternative who can prove to be a ‘X factor’. He also mentioned veteran India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal who was released by RCB in 2022 and Gujarat Titans star Rashid Khan while making his point that spin bowling is a department which has been a problem for the franchise.

“One or two incredible spinners I would say, X factor. Spinners. We need a leg spinner like Rashid Khan. We got rid of Yuzvendra Chahal not long ago. We missed him over the last few years, I think. And I think that’s still the missing link, So we’ll see it. They also released Wanindu Hasaranga after last season.”

“So I don’t know what the plans are there. Yes. There are some spinners there. I do think we miss the mystery X-factor spinner that gets you four or five wickets like Rashid Khan. Unfortunately, no one could get hold of him because he is pretty much cement. Very much cemented in that GT side. But hopefully, in the future, you know. So I should get to try to get him over, maybe do a trade. I don’t think Rashid Khan is tradable at the moment, though,” De Villiers added on his official YouTube channel.

Here is the list of all the players bought by RCB:

1. Alzarri Joseph (Rs 11.5 crore)

2. Yash Dayal (Rs 5 crore)

3. Tom Curran (Rs 1.5 crore)

4. Lockie Ferguson (Rs 2 crore)

5. Saurav Chuahan (Rs 20 lakh)

6. Swapnil Singh (Rs 20 lakh)

Players retained:Faf du Plessis, Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Vyshak Vijaykumar

Players released:Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Josh Hazlewood, Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, David Willey, Wayne Parnell, Sonu Yadav, Avinash Singh, Siddharth Kaul, Kedar Jadhav

Players traded in:Mayank Dagar, Cameron Green (traded from Mumbai Indians).