Follow UsRoyal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have been one of the best teams so far in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Rajat Patidar and Co. have won six of their nine games and are only a couple more wins away from qualifying for the playoffs. However, RCB need to fix a few things if they want to win their maiden IPL trophy.
Phil Salt, Tim David and Josh Hazlewood have been fantastic for RCB in the ongoing IPL but haven’t gotten any contribution from their fourth overseas player. RCB tried Liam Livingstone for seven games, but the spin-bowling all-rounder from England could only manage 87 runs @ 17.40 and two wickets @ 38.
The big fast-bowling all-rounder from West Indies, Romario Shepherd has featured in the last two games, but even he hasn’t done much. Shepherd is yet to bat and with the ball, he has only bowled three overs and leaked 33 runs for one wicket. RCB have three more overseas players - Jacob Bethell, Nuwan Thushara and Lungi Ngidi - whom they can try before the playoffs and give themselves a better chance to win.
165 runs in six innings at an average of 82.50 and a strike rate of 187.50 - David has been one of the biggest game-changers for RCB in the IPL 2025. Everytime he has walked out to bat, the hard hitter from Australia has made an impact. In fact, RCB could and should capitalise more on David’s form.
David has walked out to bat after the 14th over in five of his six innings, but in a game against Punjab Kings (PBKS), he came to bat in the seventh over because RCB lost five wickets for 33 runs. In a rain-curtailed 14-over game, David slammed 50* off 26 deliveries, showing he has got a lot more to his game. David is much more than some hitter who can only bat in the last few overs.
The Australian paceman has single-handedly won RCB a couple of games in the death overs. Hazlewood is the joint-highest wicket-taker in the IPL 2025 and has been outstanding in the powerplay and death overs. He has found enough support from Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the powerplay, while spinners have done the job in the middle phase by being economical.
However, Hazlewood has been RCB’s only trusted bowler in the final phase of the innings. Between overs 16 to 20, the big seamer has taken seven wickets in 10.5 overs at an economy of 8.6. Apart from Hazlewood, all other frontline RCB bowlers (Bhuvneshwar, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya) have leaked runs at an economy of around 11, or even more.