Former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad criticized Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for not investing adequately in local talent, questioning whether they are focused on brand-building or genuinely aiming to win the IPL. RCB will begin their campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 22, featuring few local players. Despite the presence of Karnataka cricket stars in the past, RCB has primarily relied on international players and Virat Kohli’s success. Both Brett Lee and Aakash Chopra acknowledged RCB’s remarkable playoff run last season, responding to initial doubts and showcasing resilience despite not winning the trophy, leaving fans with a sense of pride.
Venkatesh Prasad, a former Indian pacer, criticized the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for their insufficient investment in local talent over the years. He questioned whether they are focused on building a brand or genuinely aiming to win the Indian Premier League (IPL). RCB is set to begin their campaign against the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), on March 22 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Currently, RCB has two players from Karnataka in their line-up: all-rounder Manoj Bhandage, who has yet to make an appearance since being signed in 2023, and Indian batter Devdutt Padikkal, who had two successful seasons with the team in 2020 and 2021, before spending two average seasons with Rajasthan Royals (RR) and a lackluster season with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) last year, where he scored just 38 runs in seven matches. He returned to RCB during the auction last year at his base price of Rs 2 crores.
Throughout the years, numerous Karnataka stars such as Anil Kumble, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, KL Rahul, and Mayank Agarwal have represented the franchise. Despite their varying degrees of success, RCB has mainly relied on the achievements of star player Virat Kohli and a number of international stars like Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Faf Du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell, unlike many other IPL franchises that have incorporated local players as their marquee players.
Speaking on JioHotstar about RCB’s management, Venkatesh stated, “The way a team is managed can make a significant difference. Other teams are investing in local talent, so why isn’t RCB doing the same? Are they focused on building a brand or genuinely trying to win the IPL? They need to maximize their players’ potential, which has yet to be achieved.”
Former Australian pacer Brett Lee also reflected on RCB’s remarkable journey last season, which saw them reach the playoffs after a shaky start of just one win in their first eight matches, followed by six consecutive victories.
Lee remarked on JioHotstar, “Everyone had written them off initially, but I believed they would succeed. People laughed at my prediction, but look how far they came.”
Even former Indian opener Aakash Chopra noted that while at one point RCB’s chances of qualification seemed “as good as zero,” their persistent hope eventually bred belief.
“They fought their way back, which was evident in their performances. Some seasons leave you wondering if the glass is half full or half empty. At first, it felt empty—like there was no hope. But by the end, it overflowed with emotion. They may not have claimed the trophy, but they’ll look back at this season with immense pride,” he concluded.
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