IPL 2022: The season of change for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings | Cricket News – Times of India

Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings have all played in IPL finals without crossing the final hurdle. In the hope to land the big prize, all three franchises have made significant changes. Will it alter their fortunes this time around?
ROYAL CHALLENGERS LOST TO KKR IN 2021 ELIMINATOR
A few things about Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Their fans are the most loyal despite the franchise, like some Indian politicians, being performance-proof.
They are their own biggest rivals, thanks to questionable calls made at the auction table and frequent chopping and changing. And, they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
They have been bridesmaids thrice (2009, 2011 and 2016). Some seasons (2017, 2018 and 2019), their performances have been so poor that even an odd win seemed as momentous as winning the title.

It’s 2022 and their fans once again are chanting, “E saala, cup namde (translated from Kannada as ‘this year, the cup is ours’).” It’s a new-look side. For starters, Virat Kohli is no more captain. Can that free the talisman up to play impactful knocks without worrying about other stuff? A 550 or 600-run season at a strike rate of 135, batting at the top, or No. 3? RCB will take that.
In new skipper Faf du Plessis, they have a proven performer (IPL and South Africa) and someone who can cushion the hype surrounding the franchise. Leading an alpha male like Kohli won’t be easy, but it won’t faze him as he has captained big names like Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn and Ab de Villiers for South Africa. That he opens the batting too makes the top-order look solid. He has a reputation of empowering teammates and that is why the franchise probably bought him as they were shopping for a skipper once other options like KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer were gone.

The newly-married Glenn Maxwell can be the go-to-man for pyrotechnics. He had a great time with bat and ball last season. The experienced keeper-bat Dinesh Karthik can provide the cheekiness in the final overs.
RCB will miss the Shawshank Redemption-styled customary jailbreaks from the retired AB De Villiers, but they have the batting now to hopefully not get into those sticky situations, especially if some of their Indian domestic talents like Anuj Rawat and Mahipal Lomror (nicknamed Junior Gayle in Rajasthan) shine. The bowling, so often the Achilles heel, surprisingly is their stronger suit this time. In the energetic Mohd Siraj and the bankable Josh Hazlewood, they have four overs of powerplay sorted.
Lankan leggie Wanindu Hasaranga is well-equipped to do what Yuzvendra Chahal did in the middle overs and more as he can also strike lusty blows. And Harshal Patel’s skill sets and confidence are now at another level.
DELHI CAPITALS: LOST TO KKR IN 2021 QUALIFIER 2
Since they rechristened the franchise from Delhi Daredevils to Delhi Capitals in 2019, they have played two playoffs (2019, 2021) and one final (2020). But they made curious decisions and let go of some serious talent. Shreyas, Shikhar Dhawan, Marcus Stoinis, R Ashwin, Avesh Khan, Kagiso Rabada have moved on.
So much of their strategy revolved around pacy opening bursts from Rabada and Anrich Nortje (hasn’t played since November 2021 due to an undisclosed injury) that it makes you wonder why they did not look at other overseas options when they knew about Nortje’s injury. Reports suggest that Nortje has arrived in Mumbai and will be fit for action from April 7, but he won’t have miles under his legs.

Aussie star David Warner, the man of the tournament in the T20 World Cup, also won’t feature till April 6 due to contractual obligations with Cricket Australia and Mitchell Marsh, man-of-the-match in the T20 World Cup final and such a force for his Big Bash side, Perth Scorchers, also will miss the first few games due to Australia’s white-ball engagements in Pakistan.
They will have to rely on Rovman Powell and Tim Seifert or make do with three overseas players till everyone is available.

Delhi’s Indian contingent is potent and skipper Rishabh Pant and coach Ricky Ponting will bargain for runs from Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel along with wickets and dots considering the money shelled out for them.
PUNJAB KINGS: FINISHED 6TH IN 2021
One of the most active franchises in the auctions thanks to a lavish available purse. Mayank Agarwal, prolific in the last two seasons, is not experienced as captain, but that can be a blessing. He can lead without baggage.

What he does have is a power-packed top-four. Dhawan will be Mayank’s opening partner. The left-hander has married consistency with new-found urgency in T20s since 2019. Jonny Bairstow is a gun white ball batsman and the expensive Liam Livingstone can break a few windows of cars in the parking lot on the small fields and featherbeds in Mumbai.
If they can look at Shah Rukh Khan as more than just a finisher and give him about 30 balls to bat more consistently, they could score big or chase down tall targets.

The Punjab Kings have a large appetite for self-destruction though as was witnessed over the last two seasons where they threw away a playoff spot for the taking with questionable game-sense. If they can guard against that, encores of seasons like 2014 under George Bailey, or 2008 under Yuvraj Singh look possible.