Glenn Maxwell and RCB, a match made in heaven? Gautam Gambhir has some predictions for the IPL 2021 Auction

It's that time of year again, the think tanks of all eight franchises will work out certain permutations and combinations that can be signed at the 2021 Indian Premier League Auction. As many as 292 cricketers will go under Hugh Meades’ gavel on 18th of February at Chennai.

It is worth noting that Royal Challengers Bangalore has the most number of slots to fill with a massive purse of INR 35.4 Crore. Former India captain Gautam Gambhir expects RCB and Punjab teams to be very active at the auction. He also predicted that the Bengaluru-based club would sign Australia star batsman Glenn Maxwell. 

"There will be a couple of teams who will be eager to go into the auctions and buy the players they want. There is Kings XI Punjab, there is RCB, who will be looking to get some players to get their balance right. These sides will be very, very active in the auctions," Gambhir said on Star Sports during the Lunch break on Day 1 of the 2nd Test between India and England.

Glenn Maxwell A Big Money Buy at the Auction?

"I feel Glenn Maxwell (will go big under the hammer). He has not set the IPL on fire apart from one season in 2014, he has been very, very cold. People say hot and cold, but he has been very cold. There are teams who will be looking at someone like Maxwell. Surely, RCB will be looking at him. That is my personal opinion. Anything can happen at the auctions. But I feel Maxwell will go to RCB," he added.

Gambhir further explained the need for someone like a Glenn Maxwell at the ranks of RCB batting unit. If the 32-year-old gets picked up by RCB, would he play the role of an X-factor and how would he make an impact on the star-studded line-up?

"Because if I look at their entire batting line-up they have got, Virat Kohli will definitely be looking to open the batting, because that is where he has been most successful. Padikkal has done very, very well for them in the previous season. Then they have got AB, and then they can have someone like Maxwell - the X factor," the two-time IPL winning captain remarked.

Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy stadium has always been a familiar hunting ground for the Victoria-born cricketer.

"And at Chinnaswamy, where he has done very well. Whenever he has played at Chinnaswamy, he has won games for Australia. So, I think, Maxwell will go to RCB. Depending on how much RCB will give for him, but I feel he would go for a lot of money," he concluded.