Who can take Royal Challengers Bangalore to their maiden title?

The Indian Premier League created a bit of a buzz on social media last week after Lucknow Super Giants announced Justin Langer as their Head Coach for the next edition of the tournament. 

A couple of days after the former Australian opener was unveiled as the man to take the Super Giants forward, out come the reports about Royal Challengers Bangalore parting ways with Mike Hesson and Sanjay Bangar.

The former Kiwi Head Coach was at the helm of the affairs of the Bangalore outfit as the Director of Cricket, along with Bangar as the Head Coach of the side. 

With the trophy drought continuing to haunt the Royal Challengers, the management has decided to overhaul the coaching structure and are currently on the lookout for a new person to guide the team forward. 

In this article, we look at some of the top contenders for the role who possibly help Bangalore script history. 

Ravi Shastri

Virat Kohli 🤝 Ravi Shastri

These two names have been synonyms with the rise of Indian cricket in the past decade, and there ain't any doubts that the fans would be hoping for them to come together for RCB.  

The duo have been the catalyst behind India's revolution in world cricket since 2014, especially in the longest format of the game. Despite Kohli not leading the franchise anymore, it is fair to say that the former skipper still holds a position of authority in the team. 

Having worked with the 61-year-old for numerous years, Kohli will be well aware of what Shastri brings to the table for the Royal Challengers to help them clinch the coveted title. 

The former cricketer turned commentator has not taken up any role since relinquishing his India duties to Rahul Dravid, and the fans will be hopeful of reliving the Shastri-Kohli era that helped Indian cricket grow leaps and bounds. 

Eoin Morgan 

One of the astute leaders of the game, Eoin Morgan, revolutionized the way England played cricket in the white-ball format since their ouster in the 2015 World Cup.

The former skipper of England incorporated a fearless style of play in the national side that helped the team breach numerous records en route to their dominance of clinching the 2019 World Cup at the Home of Cricket.

The 36-year-old retired from international cricket in June 2022 and, since then, has featured in various T20 leagues around the world. 

The southpaw led the Kolkata Knight Riders to the summit clash of the 2021 IPL in the United Arab Emirates before falling agonisingly short to the Chennai Super Kings. 

With a wealth of experience under his belt and the ability to rejig the team's style of play, Morgan could be one of the people RCB might look to bank on in the coming season. 

Bharat Arun

In the era of Shastri and Kohli, Bharat Arun worked tirelessly in the background with the bowling unit to ensure India have an attack to scalp 20 wickets in a Test. 

The former India player joined the Kolkata Knight Riders as their bowling coach ahead of the 2022 season after his stint with the Indian side.

However, the role in the Knight Riders' camp was not the first IPL experience for Bharat Arun. He was part of the RCB coaching staff from 2015 to 2017. 

The 60-year-old was at the helm of affairs of the India Under-19 side led by Unmukt Chand, which won the World Cup and even helped Tamil Nadu win the Vijay Hazare Trophy twice. 

Given his work with multiple franchises and the impressive credentials that he possesses, he could be one of the front-runners for the job. 

Andy Flower

One of the biggest names in the international coaching set-up for many years, Andy Flower was with the newly introduced Lucknow Super Giants for the last two seasons. 

The Zimbabwean helped the side qualify for the playoffs during his stint but not winning the silverware resulted in the franchise parting ways with Flower. 

The 55-year-old played a pivotal role in helping England reach the number one Test team in 2011 and also helped them clinch the T20 title in West Indies in 2010 as the Director of Cricket. 

Flower ain't new to coaching franchise cricket, and his recent exploits with the Super Giants will hold him in good stead for a role with RCB. 

Tom Moody

Tom Moody is a name familiar with the IPL and more so with a southern-based franchise, as the 57-year-old was part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad coaching set-up for seven consecutive seasons. 

The former Australian cricketer was the Head Coach of the Orange Army from 2013 to 2019, helping the team progress to the playoffs on five occasions and clinch the title in 2016. 

Moody is currently the Director of Sri Lankan cricket and has been around international cricket and franchise cricket since its inception. He will bring in a truckload of experience and expertise in rebuilding the team for the future. 

AB de Villiers

A surprising name for sure in this list but AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli are the heart and soul of the Red Army. The former South African batter has been the mainstay of the side since donning the Red and Gold for the first time in 2011. 

Over a decade of match-winning performances and a journey filled with ebbs and flows, de Villiers is no stranger to the team and the management. 

He has been by far the most complete batter in the world arena and was known for his astute ability to read the game and the situation incredibly well. 

While he may be a wildcard choice by the franchise, given his lack of coaching experience, his knowledge as a player in this format and his equation with the players could potentially help him take over the reins.