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INSIDE STORY: Why Did RCB Chose Bhuvneshwar Kumar Over Mohammed Siraj?
Follow UsRCB’s calculated gamble paid off as the franchise finally ended their 18-year IPL drought earlier this year
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) director of cricket Mo Bobat has revealed that letting go of Mohammed Siraj ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 wasn’t an easy decision, but it was necessary to secure Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the auction.
“Siraj is probably the player that we spent the longest deliberating over. Indian international bowlers are not that easy to get. We discussed every eventuality with Siraj, whether to retain him, release him, or use the Right to Match. It was not a straightforward call,” Bobat told Cricbuzz.
Bobat explained the strategic reasoning behind the decision: “We were keen to try and get Bhuvi for two ends of the innings. Keeping Siraj would have made that difficult. There is never just one reason, several factors come into play.”
RCB’s calculated gamble paid off as the franchise finally ended their 18-year IPL drought earlier this year, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the grand finale to lift their maiden IPL trophy.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, bought for INR 10.75 crore, proved his worth, picking up 17 wickets at an average of 28.41 and an economy rate of 9.28. RCB also acquired Josh Hazlewood, who finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker for his side with 22 wickets at 17.54 and an economy rate of 8.77.
Meanwhile, Siraj, who featured in 87 games for RCB and claimed 83 wickets at an average of 31.4 with an economy rate of 8.6, had a decent campaign for Gujarat Titans (GT). He picked up 16 wickets in 15 games at an economy of 9.2.