The Sri Lankan pair of Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera, as well as Australia's Singapore-born Tim David, have joined Royal Challengers Bangalore ranks for the second part of IPL 2021.
While those are the additions, some players will be missed too: New Zealanders Finn Allen and Scott Kuggeleijn, and the Australians Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams and Adam Zampa.
That aside, there's been a 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 our playing squad, from an overseas perspective, due to player unavailability and, indeed, a reshaping of our overseas contingent," 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. Kane Richardson has made himself unavailable, as has Daniel Sams, so the balance of our 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."
Hasaranga coming on board is the big news on that front. The 24-year-old legspin-bowling allrounder has been making heads turn in recent times, and certainly made an impression, especially with the ball, when India went to Sri Lanka in July for a limited-overs series, with a three-for in the second ODI and seven wickets - including a 4 for 9 - in the three T20Is. At the end of that series, Hasaranga was placed second among T20I bowlers in the ICC rankings.
"One things we can say is we have replaced Adam Zampa with Wanindu Hasaranga. Certainly delighted to have Hasaranga on board," Hesson said. "He gives us some balance, obviously from a wristspin point of view and also plenty of batting capability."
Chameera has also been among the wickets in what is a second coming of sorts for him in international cricket, with a bagful of wickets in England in June and then against India at home. As for David, apart from being among the runs in the Big Bash League, he had a good feel of the conditions in the subcontinent during his time with Lahore Qalandars, scoring 180 runs at an average of 45 and a strike rate of 166.66 in PSL 2021.
"Chameera, another [from] the Sri Lankan contingent, he is bowling extremely well at the moment. I know him well, having coached against him. He's got genuine pace and also his white-ball game has developed significantly over the last few years," Hesson said. "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 player who could become a straight swap for either [Glenn] Maxwell or AB de Villiers if required, also gives us other options throughout the order.
"We also have one [more] spot to fill, which we will be looking to do in the coming days. Yeah, it's been a busy period of time to be able to get that squad together, but delighted with the group we've got. Wanindu, Chameera and Tim David certainly some high-quality players that will add to the likes of AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Kyle Jamieson and Daniel Christian. So that's seven of our eight overseas contingent."
RCB's travel plans
The second leg 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.
More to follow
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