IPL 2018: 3 players who can make their debut for RCB against KKR

There is a reason why people compare Royal Challengers Bangalore with South Africa. Despite having a formidable team on paper, they fail to perform on the ground, and poor team selection is one of the reasons behind it. In the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League as well, RCB management has failed to find their perfect XI.

As a result, they have won only two out of their six games and are currently placed at the seventh position in the points table, above Delhi Daredevils on the sole basis of net run rate. They need to win at least six games out of their remaining eight matches and should now give a chance to the untested players. Here are three players who can debut for RCB in the game against Kolkata Knight Riders today (April 29):

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#3 Navdeep Saini

RCB spent INR 3 crores to buy Navdeep Saini

Poor bowling performances have been haunting this franchise for a past decade and nothing has changed this year. Skipper Virat Kohli had faith in speedster Mohammed Siraj but he could not live up to the expectations. Siraj has played 3 games so far and is yet to pick up a wicket. He has conceded 117 runs so far at an economy rate of nearly 10 runs per over.

His three consecutive wides on the last delivery of the penultimate over in the game against Chennai Super Kings proved costly. Hence, we might see Siraj sitting in the dugout today with Navdeep Saini getting a call to the team. The Delhi pacer, who was bought for INR 3 crores, had an exceptional domestic season. His economy rate in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2017/18 was less than 6 runs per over and he picked up 8 wickets in the last edition of Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Saini is yet to play an IPL game. Hence, the match against KKR might be both his RCB and IPL debut if Kohli decides to give the Haryana-born 25-year-old a chance.

#2 Moeen Ali

Moeen Ali can be handy both with the bat and ball

Corey Anderson is the name circulating on RCB loyalists' name after the match against CSK. Brought as the replacement for injured Australian pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile, Anderson has leaked runs cheaply so far in the tournament. His shameful economy rate is on the verge of touching 14 runs per over mark. With the bat, he has scored just 17 runs so far. His national teammate Colin de Grandhomme was given a chance in the last game but he too could not capitalize on the opportunity and scored only 11 runs.

Hence, RCB needs a trustworthy all-rounder and Englishman Moeen Ali can oblige. The 30-year-old from Birmingham was bought for INR 1.7 crores and is yet to play a match. Ali's T20 career economy rate is just over 7 runs per over and batting average is over 20, which tells us that he can come in handy both with the bat and with the ball.

#1 Tim Southee

Kohli (left) has not given Southee (right) a chance in this year's IPL so far

English pacer Chris Woakes is RCB's first choice overseas seamer. While Woakes has picked up 8 wickets so far in this tournament, he has been very expensive with his economy rate crossing 10 runs per over. Hence, skipper Virat Kohli can try another alternative in Kiwi pacer Tim Southee in the crucial tie against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Southee has played 29 IPL games so far and his IPL career economy rate is just over 8 runs per over. His T20 career economy rate is also on similar lines and hence can be used to restrict the flow of runs, something Kohli and his bowlers have failed to do thus far. Even if RCB pick Woakes in the playing XI, we might see two overseas seamers in their team which they can do by axing an overseas all-rounder.