It was not written in the stars for RCB, after all

Most years, there is a predictable end to RCB's season. But at one point this season, it felt like things would actually be different: everything fell into place for the team to qualify for the playoffs, and they even bested their bogey team Chennai Super Kings en route. 

Such was the dramatic nature of their second half comeback that it felt like it was written in the stars for RCB to finally lift the IPL.

But, as it turned out, it wasn't. And so the wait continues. 

Maybe, just maybe, next sala……..?

The Good

Despite a disappointing, anti-climactic end, this was actually a season filled with positives for RCB.

Spirited, unwavering showing after a calamitous start

In hindsight, it’s truly a miracle that RCB came as far as they did. After 8 matches, their record read W1 L7. Forget the wooden spoon, folks were genuinely predicting this side finishing the season with 12+ losses. 

However, from a point of no return, the team stuck together and showed unbelievable character and resilience to win six on the bounce and make it to the playoffs against all odds.

After going 1-7 down, RCB didn’t just ‘win’ matches; they obliterated their opponents. Their margins of victories in their six-game winning streak were 35 runs, 9 wickets, 4 wickets (with 6.2 overs to spare), 60 runs, 47 runs and 27 runs. 

All the players who were written off proved the naysayers wrong, and RCB at one point actually looked like a devastating unit. This fight alone will give the franchise plenty of hope heading into the next cycle.

‘Next-gen’ stars proving their worth (and showing they’re ready)

RCB have entered many a mega auction clueless about their core (minus Kohli & ABD) but things might be very different — in a good way —  in the next cycle. 

Their ‘next-gen’ superstars Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green and Will Jacks all not only showed their worth, but also showed why they, along with Kohli, could form RCB’s core for the 2025-2028 cycle.

Patidar had a rough start to the season — averaging 18 across the first six innings — but then hit ‘God Mode’ and never looked back. He finished his season with scores of 52, 50, 2, 55, 52, 41 & 34 and, in this run, absolutely ransacked opposition spinners in the middle overs.

Green was dropped five games into the season, but the 24-year-old proved to be a class apart with bat, ball and in the field in the second half of the season. In RCB’s six-game run that saw them make the playoffs against all odds, Green smashed 181 runs at an average of 60.33 and a strike rate of 163.1. On top of this, he took 6 wickets at an economy of 8.2. He also was an absolute menace in the field and not only took great catches, but inflicted multiple run-outs.

Jacks, meanwhile, showed exactly why he’s one of the hottest batting prospects in world cricket, smashing 230 runs at an average of 32.86 and strike rate of 175.6 in the eight games he played. His ton against Gujarat Titans is already being talked about as one of RCB’s greatest tons ever. 

Kohli / Jacks / Green / Patidar / Siraj is a fantastic core for RCB to begin the next cycle with. 

Other positives

> Kohli, apart from amassing big runs (741 runs for the season), showed incredible intent in the powerplay (SR 161.47) and against spin (137.09). IPL 2024 witnessed his evolution as a T20 batter.

> After a horror start, the bowling unit punched above its weight in the second half. Yash Dayal (15 wickets) had a big part to play in that and even Swapnil Singh and Karn Sharma delivered crucial, game-turning performances. RCB somehow managed to get the absolute maximum out of their bowling resources.

The Bad

Mohammed Siraj’s hot and cold campaign

Siraj has been with RCB for seven seasons now, but consistency and reliability are two things he’s not been able to provide the side, year in and year out. 

After a world class campaign last season, Siraj was expected to lead RCB’s attack in IPL 2024 but he let the team down big time in the first half, taking 5 wickets at an economy of 10.3 and average of 53.8 in the first seven games. He went at 11 RPO in the powerplay during this period and conceded more sixes (11) than any other bowler in the 1-6 phase.

Siraj eventually ended the season strongly like most RCB players did, taking 10 wickets at an E.R of 8.1 in the side’s last seven games, but this was a season in which the 30-year-old needed to show that he was a trustable spearhead. Unfortunately, he didn’t. 

Alzarri Joseph: a forgettable signing

At the auction table, RCB splashed a whopping 11.50 crore on West Indies’ Alzarri Joseph. To the franchise’s dismay, the 27-year-old ended up being one of the worst signings of the season.

Joseph only played three games in the entire season and had three forgettable outings, registering figures of 0/38 (3.4), 1/43 (4) and 0/34 (2). 

In hindsight, the franchise might have wished that they spent the 11.50 crore better.

The Ugly 

Glenn Maxwell’s horror season

If Glenn Maxwell does not get retained and leaves RCB, it will be a brutal end to his stint with the Reds, which was actually a really fruitful one overall. 

Maxwell’s stocks were at an all time high ahead of this season, particularly considering his T20I form, and his form was expected to push RCB to the title. But the veteran endured the worst season for any batter in the IPL ever, finishing the season with an average of 5.78. 

His dismissal in the Eliminator against RR, where he picked out the fielder on the very first ball, attempting a slog, sort of summed up his entire campaign.

Maxwell scored 52 runs in IPL 2024 and 85% of these runs came in two knocks. His other scores in the season read 4, 3, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0. 

For three seasons, Maxwell’s RCB teammates struggled to step up when he carried the side. The one season the others stepped up, Maxwell ended up having his worst season ever.

That’s RCB’s IPL history in a nutshell.

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