RCB Might Struggle To Finish In Top Four: Former CSK Star

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Subramaniam Badrinath believes RCB might struggle to qualify for the playoffs this time around despite there being plenty of hype surrounding the Bengaluru-based franchise.

Heading into IPL 2025, RCB has a brand new captain in Rajat Patidar and will also have a plethora of T20 superstars, such as Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, and Liam Livingstone. The addition of Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the pace department has also made many fans optimistic about the bowling department, which also has the likes of Krunal Pandya and Yash Dayal.

But Badrinath is not convinced by the RCB squad.

“I feel RCB will struggle to make it to the top four,” Badrinath said on his YouTube channel, previewing RCB ahead of IPL 2025.

“Of course, if their bowling does well, they have a chance. But on form and on paper, they are heavily dependent on Virat Kohli to take them through. They are also heavily dependent on both Josh Hazlewood and Liam Livingstone,” he added.

Livingstone is one of three Englishmen in the RCB squad, with Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell being the other two. Badrinath claimed that he was not a fan of the strategy to heavily invest on English players as, in the past, it’s a strategy that’s bombed for the likes of Rajasthan Royals (RR).

“I won’t advocate investing in English players in the IPL. There have not been too many teams in the past which have been successful when they’ve invested in English players,” he said. 

RCB will kick-start their IPL 2025 campaign on March 22 in the curtain-raiser against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens.