Will Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 finally be Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) time to get their hands on the coveted title? They have gotten close on a couple of occasions in the past but have not been able to get over the line. We look at a few players who will have to play a key role for them to do so:
The leading run-getter in IPL history, Virat Kohli will once again have to be at his very best if RCB are to go all the way. They made it to the playoffs by the barest of margins last season, but Kohli finished with 741 runs, striking at 155.
Kohli has very rarely failed in an IPL season entirely, and we could once again see him at his very best in the 20-over tournament.
With 181 wickets in the IPL, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. RCB spent INR 10.75 crore on the swing bowler in the hope that he can deliver, especially with the new ball.
He has picked up 20 wickets in the first six overs in the IPL since 2022, the most after Mohammed Shami (28) and Trent Boult (32). Can he continue his good run in IPL 2025 too?
RCB shelled out INR 11.50 crore for Phil Salt, one of the most sought-after opening batters in the world. Only Faf du Plessis (2,814) has scored more runs than Salt (2,741) in T20 cricket as an opening batter in T20s since 2023.
Salt, who can also don the wicketkeeping gloves, has got these runs at an average in excess of 30 and strike rate of 162, with 19 50+ scores, showing his consistency.