RCB Bold Diaries: RCB think-tank explains the rationale behind signing Phil Salt
In the IPL 2025 Auction, RCB bagged the services of Phil Salt, who impressed in IPL 2024 with his pyrotechnics at the top of the order. Apart from his IPL glory, Salt has been in phenomenal touch in the international arcade as well. In the latest episode of RCB Bold Diaries, Mo Bobat and Dinesh Karthik explained the rationale behind bagging the dynamic Salt.
Explaining the reason behind going hammer and tongs for a foreign opener, Karthik said, “We would want a foreign opener because, on the day they get going, they can score a hundred in 60, 50, or 40 balls, whatever it might be. Players like Jos Buttler and Phil Salt have done this time and time again.”
He further added, “Among Indian players, I can only think of Ishan Kishan, who has done that to a limited degree. We know why we don't want to go there (open with an Indian opener)—the power isn't there."
RCB’s Director of cricket, Mo Bobat also chimed in with his train of thoughts, stating, “Salt has achieved that consistently. If we aggregate everything, he emerges as the common denominator.”
Karthik further added, “My concurrence is that Phil Salt scores 6–8 runs in an over 28% of the time, and 12–15 runs in an over 30% of the time. In one out of four overs, he scores 16 or more runs, and in one out of two overs, he scores 12 or more."
The video ended with a note about the players whom RCB wanted for the opening slot, stating, “Salt, Jacks, and Faf were considered for the opening slot. Salt's staggering numbers, dual skill of wicketkeeping, and auction order made him a priority option, and RCB ended up picking Salt for Rs 11.5 crore.”
