RCB Buy Wanindu Hasaranga And Dushmantha Chameera For IPL 2021 2nd Half
Two Sri Lankan players Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera, and Australia's Singapore-born Tim David, have joined Royal Challengers Bangalore squads for the second part of IPL starts on 19th September 2021.
While those are the additions, some players will be missed too: New Zealanders Scott Kuggeleijn and Finn Allen and the Australians Daniel Sams and Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson.
There's some change at the top among the coaching staff, with Simon Katich stepping down from his position as head coach, and Mike Hesson, at present the director of cricket operations, taking on the additional responsibility of filling in for Katich.
Some significant changes in RCB Main squad, from an overseas perspective, due to player unavailability Hesson explained in a press interaction on Saturday. "Finn Allen and Scott Kuggeleijn have been selected for New Zealand tours, and they won't be part of RCB franchise, Kane Richardson has made himself unavailable and also Daniel Sams, so the balance of RCB squad has changed dramatically. So we have obviously gone about making purchases during the replacement window, which opened up about four or five days ago. A lot of preparation has gone into that.
"One things we can say is we have replaced Adam Zampa with Wanindu Hasaranga. Certainly delighted to have Hasaranga on board. He gives us some balance, obviously from a wristspin point of view and also plenty of batting capability. So happy to have him on RCB team. Chameera, another good fast bowling all rounder from Sri Lankan contingent, he is bowling extremely well at the moment. We know him well, He's got genuine pace and also his white-ball game has developed significantly over the last few years.
"With Finn Allen leaving, we have decided to strengthen our middle-order possibilities, in terms of options, so Tim David has joined our squad. He is currently part of the Southern Brave [at the Hundred], he has been performing for Surrey and also Hobart Hurricanes in recent times - a power packed player who could become a straight swap for either Glenn Maxwell or AB de Villiers if required, also gives us other options throughout the middle order.
"We also have one morespot to fill, which we will be looking to do in the upcoming days."
RCB's travel plans
The second part of the IPL will begin in the UAE on September 19. Part of the RCB contingent - the India players, aside from those on national duty in England - will gather in Bengaluru this weekend, and serve a week-long quarantine. Then, on August 29, they will then fly to Dubai via chartered flight. The overseas players and support staff will join them there, and the full contingent will undergo a further six days of quarantine.
Rajesh Menon, vice-president and head of RCB, told the media as much on Saturday: "Indian players, minus the players in England, will be assembling in Bangalore today. Following that we will have a seven-day quarantine, and have three Covid Tests in that period. Then we leave in a chartered flight on August 29.
"Overseas players and support staff will start coming in on August 29, and they will also have a six-day quarantine in the UAE."
RCB will resume their season on September 20, against Kolkata Knight Riders.