RCB Class of 2022: Who could form the Top 3 for IPL 15?

The magical experience of watching an IPL auction is in trying to decode the unknown. Some teams splurge on unknown quantities while a few big names may not even fetch a bid. The pieces of the puzzle only make sense in retrospect. With the IPL mega auction 2022 behind us, what could the RCB top 3 look like come the Season 15 of IPL?

Faf du Plessis

Getting the obvious choice out of the way, opening the batting could be FAF du Plessis. A veteran of 100 IPL games, the former Protean skipper brings with him plenty of experience. Du Plessis was one of the stars for the champions of IPL 2021, Chennai Superkings, forming a solid opening partnership with Ruturaj Gaikwad for the Men in yellow. He fell just 2 runs short of the orange cap with 533 runs, to his opening partner.  Even at 37, du Plessis is one of the fittest athletes in the cricketing circuit. At 7 crores, RCB has managed to plug an important cog of their batting machinery.

Virat Kohli

So, who could open with the South African? Could it be Virat Kohli again? Now with the burden of captaincy off his shoulders, could the former RCB and Indian skipper return to his dominating best? He did open for the team in 2021. Need we even remind you of his 2016 form where he scored 973 runs opening the batting? Faf du Plessis - Virat Kohli opening pair would be as solid as they come. Will we see Virat Kohli open the innings again in 2022? Only time will tell.

Anuj Rawat

Should Virat Kohli decide to drop down back to number 3, there’s an underrated option waiting in the wings. Anuj Rawat, the Delhi wicket-keeper batsman. He opened the batting for Delhi in the 2021 season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament and was the highest run-scorer for his team with 167 runs at a fair clip of 128.5. He would already be well-accustomed to the bright lights of the IPL, having been a part of the Rajasthan Royals set up previously. Also a southpaw, Rawat would provide the Left-right batting combination teams prefer at the top. Can Rawat fill in the massive shoes left behind by Devdutt Padikkal?

Finn Allen

The big, strong Kiwi wicket-keeper batsman Finn Allen was a part of the RCB setup even in the 2021 season, although he did not get a game. A strike rate of more than 190 in T20Is does not flatter to deceive the kind of destruction Allen can inflict. Could he be the opening option alongside FAF du Plessis?

Shahbaz Ahmed

How about a wildcard to wrap up? Shahbaz Ahmed, the Bengal all-rounder has plenty of batting talent, of which he has given glimpses in the previous seasons with RCB. The RCB think tank had shown faith in batting him at Number 3 against SRH in the 2021 season before KS Bharath made the position his own as the season progressed. Given a longer rope, could Shahbaz become the number 3 for RCB?

With Virat Kohli and FAF du Plessis almost certain to be part of a robust top order except for a major reshuffle, who would complete the top 3? The IPL season would give us the answer.