Royal Challengers Bangalore has been the unluckiest team in IPL so far in the last 12 years. The Bangalore-based franchise has made it to three IPL finals but has not been able to seize the coveted IPL trophy. Bangalore has had one of the best batting lineups of all time in IPL.
Still, the bowling unit has failed the team on some occasions. As a result, the team has not been able to win a single IPL title. Nevertheless, the team management had tried to sign some good players in the auction. Unluckily, they could not grab them. Here’s a look at the five players RCB wanted to sign but could not in IPL Auction.
1.Yusuf Pathan
Every IPL franchise had created its ‘wishlist’ before the mega auction in 2011. The teams put the players they wanted to sign in that unique list.
Royal Challengers Bangalore named five players, and one of them was Yusuf Pathan. The hard-hitting all-rounder from Baroda was eventually signed by Kolkata Knight Riders.
2.Gautam Gambhir
Imagining Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli in one IPL team gives goosebumps to every Delhi cricket fan. The southpaw went to Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping price in the auction.
However, Royal Challengers Bangalore had put him on his wishlist. Perhaps, Gambhir could have helped RCB win a title or two with the players that RCB had.
3.Rohit Sharma
Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma was also present on the wishlist of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team. However, the Hitman landed in Mumbai Indians.
Although he had done well in IPL, Deccan Chargers released him from their squad. Royal Challengers Bangalore wanted him in their squad. If the signing was possible, Bangalore could have had two most promising Indian batsmen in their squad. Given that Sharma is a 4-time IPL winning captain now, one can only imagine the success that RCB could have achieved had they played bold and went for Rohit in the auction.
4.Pat Cummins
In the recently conducted auction of IPL 2020, there was a massive bidding war to sign Australian fast bowler, Pat Cummins. The right-arm quick was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders for a record price of 15.50 Crore.
Royal Challengers Bangalore was the first team to bid for him. They had an intense bidding war with Delhi Capitals before Kolkata joined them. RCB bid 15.25 crores for Cummins’ services in IPL 2020. However, KKR outbid them and then signed the Australian pacer.
5.Ben Stokes
English all-rounder Ben Stokes entered the IPL 2017 Auction. He fetched a massive deal from Rising Pune Supergiant, but RCB and MI were also in the race to sign him.
An all-rounder like Stokes could have provided much balance to Bangalore in the IPL. However, since Bangalore could not sign him, they went for Tymal Mills in the auction. It is noteworthy that Ben Stokes is a part of Rajasthan Royals now. He is regarded as one of the best all-rounders in world cricket at the moment. On the other side, RCB released Mills after one season.
