IPL 2025: Predicting starting four overseas players of RCB

The team with the most passionate fan base, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, would be hoping to have a season to remember. To do that, they have done a decent job at the auction table and have a good squad for the season. Let us see who might be the four starting overseas players for the team.

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1. Josh Hazlewood

The Australian ace is one of the best in business across the globe. Although initially Josh Hazlewood was considered just a test regular, he soon started working on the whiteball format, which has certainly shown results for him and his team.

He had a fantastic season for the Bengaluru side in the 2022 season where he played 12 games for the team and bowling with an economy of 8.10, he scalped away as many as 20 wickets. He has become a core part of the team’s set-up in a very short period. Injuries meant he could not play much in 2023 and 2024 and is still under the scanner if he will be playing this season.

2. Tim David

The Australian six-hitting machine, Tim David was bought for an amount of Rs 3 crores by the Bengaluru franchise. Previously playing for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, he has been the explosive power Mumbai relied upon for finishing the matches and he did the job for them on many occasions.

Played in 38 matches of the Indian Premier League, he has been striking at an incredible rate of 170.28 and has scored 659 runs. RCB having predominantly been a top-heavy batting unit, requires a good middle-order batter and finishing options which means that Tim David will be a part of the playing XI.

3. Phil Salt

RCB bought the English opener with high hopes as they need someone to shoulder responsibilities with their ace, Virat Kohli. Phil Salt has impressed everyone with his performances in the shortest format of the game.

Of the 43 T20 Internationals he has played so far, he has smashed 1193 runs at a brilliant strike rate of 164.32, making him one of the biggest threats as an opener in the league. Salt is one among the best batters of the format currently, not just in his team but around the world. He also might be the one to handle the keeping gloves for the team which gives it a surety that he would be a starting player for the RCB.

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4. Liam Livingstone

Another English all-rounder to have shone in the Indian Premier League is Liam Livingstone. He holds the capability to destroy any bowling side and take the game away for his team on his own on his days. With the ball, he can bowl off-break as well as leg-break, increasing his potency on the field.

He has peaked with his performances for his ex-team, Punjab Kings and proved to be a match-winner for them on several occasions. He has smashed at a strike rate of 162.45 and amassed 939 runs from 39 IPL games. The one with the golden arm, he has also taken 11 wickets in the 22 innings so far.

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