IPL 2024: Royal Challengers Bengaluru schedule, match time, SWOT Analysis

If RCB is to win the trophy, they must work on their strengths instead of worrying about their weakness. We try to find out what their strengths and weaknesses are through this SWOT analysis

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been without a trophy for the last 15 seasons and this time around they would be looking to finally end the drought of trophies as Bangalore and Karnataka have a real drought upon their heads even before the start of the summer down south.

If RCB is to win the trophy this time around, they must work on their strengths hard instead of worrying too much about their weakness.  Before the start of IPL 2024, we try to find out what their strengths and weaknesses are through this SWOT analysis.

Strength- Batting

No doubt batting is the biggest strength of the RCB unit with Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik in the side. However, it also becomes their weak link as and when they lose any of these guys quickly, especially either Virat or du Plessis.

RCB IPL 2024 Schedule

Date	Match	Time (IST)	Venue
March 22, 2024	CSK vs RCB	20:00	Chennai
March 25, 2024	RCB vs PBKS	7.30 PM	Bengaluru
March 29, 2024	RCB vs LSG	7.30 PM	Bengaluru
April 2, 2024	RCB vs KKR	7.30 PM	Bengaluru
April 6, 2024	RR vs RCB	7.30 PM	Jaipur
April 11, 2024	MI vs RCB	7.30 PM	Mumbai
April 15, 2024	RCB vs SRH	7.30 PM	Bengaluru
April 21, 2024	KKR vs RCB	3;30 PM	Kolkata
April 25, 2024	SRH vs RCB	7.30 PM	Hyderabad
April 28, 2024	GT vs RCB	3;30 PM	Ahmedabad
May 4, 2024	RCB vs GT	7.30 PM	Bengaluru
May 9, 2024	PBKS vs RCB	7.30 PM	Dharamshala
May 12, 2024	RCB vs DC	7.30 PM	Bengaluru
May 18, 2024	RCB vs CSK	7.30 PM	Bengaluru

Check Indian Premier League 2024 full schedule here

Will Virat Kohli and Co win IPL 2024. How they lost in last three finals before. Photo: RCB

Weakness- Team Balance

They let go of Wanindu Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmed as well. They were two players who gave the team the right balance with their ability to bat and bowl equally well in all situations.

Now if you remove the top four batters mentioned above, no one in the middle order could really be trusted. With Rajat Patidar’s form dwindling and Will Jacks not tried and tested in Indian conditions, it would be hard to get the right balance.

RCB IPL Player and Their Salary

Player	Nationality	Role	Price
Virat Kohli	Indian	Batsman	₹15,00,00,000
Glenn Maxwell	Overseas	All-Rounder	₹11,00,00,000
Faf Du Plessis	Overseas	Batsman	₹7,00,00,000
Mohammed Siraj	Indian	Bowler	₹7,00,00,000
Dinesh Karthik	Indian	Wicket Keeper	₹5,50,00,000
Anuj Rawat	Indian	Wicket Keeper	₹3,40,00,000
Mahipal Lomror	Indian	All-Rounder	₹95,00,000
Karn Sharma	Indian	Bowler	₹50,00,000
Suyash Prabhudessai	Indian	All-Rounder	₹30,00,000
Akash Deep	Indian	Bowler	₹20,00,000
Will Jacks	Overseas	Batter	₹3,20,00,000
Reece Topley	Overseas	Bowler	₹1,90,00,000
Himanshu Sharma	Indian	Bowler	₹20,00,000
Manoj Bhandage	Indian	All-Rounder	₹20,00,000
Vyshak Vijaykumar	Indian	Bowler	₹20,00,000
Mayank Dagar	Indian	All-Rounder	₹1,80,00,000
Alzarri Joseph	Overseas	Bowler	₹11,50,00,000
Yash Dayal	Indian	Bowler	₹5,00,00,000
Lockie Ferguson	Overseas	Bowler	₹2,00,00,000
Tom Curran	Overseas	All-Rounder	₹1,50,00,000
Saurav Chuahan	Indian	Batter	₹20,00,000
Swapnil Singh	Indian	All-Rounder	₹20,00,000

Check latest news on Indian Premier League 2024 here

Opportunity- For Homegrown Players to Shine in World Cup Year

It would be harsh to rule RCB out straight away from the title race. However, they certainly do not look like the right mix at the start of the season.

It is this situation that gives homegrown talents like Mayank Dagar, Patidar, Akash Deep, and Vijaykumar Vyshak a chance to shine and make RCB a team that might not be the strongest on paper in totality, but could give any other team a run for its money on any given day.

Threat- From the Failure of Their Big Guns

Apart from Dinesh Karthik, no other RCB batter can claim to have mastery over playing spin. Virat Kohli has had problems against left-arm spinners and leg spinners. Patidar was exposed to spin against England and didn’t fare well either.

Du Plessis has done well in the IPL by using his feet against spin. However, if Maxwell, Karthik, and du Plessis fail to address the spin issue, it might be problematic for RCB.

Check Indian Premier League 2024 points table here

Similarly, in the bowling department, they have three express pacers in Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, and Mohammed Siraj. But it has been seen over the years that these bowlers have gone for plenty on many occasions. Thus, if they fail to get going, the problem would increase as RCB does not have a quality spinner to win them games single-handedly.