Too much of noise in the lead-up and almost pin-drop silence at the business end of the competition. That has more or less been the story of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s journey in the IPL.

Virat Kohli and his men did, however, change the script to a fair extent last year as after three disappointing seasons in a row, RCB finally reached the playoffs before losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator. Having said that, they had lost all of their last five games, including the Eliminator, in IPL 2020.

In fact, a slight better net run rate than Kolkata Knight Riders somehow helped them through to the playoffs. But poor showing in those four matches of the league stage did have an effect on their performance in the Eliminator.

For this year, the three-time finalists have made a few interesting acquisitions with Australia white-ball specialist Glenn Maxwell (Rs 14.25 crore) and the 6-foot-8-inch New Zealand quick Kyle Jamieson (Rs 15 crore) being their two biggest picks at the February auction. The inclusion of Maxwell should take some load off captain Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in terms of RCB’s batting. Maxwell can perform the finisher’s role to perfection and also compensate if De Villiers, who last had game time on November 6 (last year’s IPL Eliminator), fails to click.

But it also needs to be taken into account that Maxwell was a complete disaster with the bat in the previous edition when he represented Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab). Barring one game versus KKR, he struggled in almost all the other matches.

One positive for RCB is the progress Devdutt Padikkal has made since making his debut in the competition last year. Scoring tonnes of runs in domestic cricket, particularly in this season’s Vijay Hazare Trophy, must have served to boost his confidence.

The left-handed batsman also seems to have worked on his strike rate and if he can maintain that tempo opening the innings, it could be easier for Kohli — who is also set to open — to hold one end up and then accelerate at the death. It wouldn’t be unwise on RCB’s part if they keep Mohammed Azharuddeen, the impressive stroke-maker from Kerala, as well in their scheme of things. Azharuddeen can also do the job behind the stumps, if needed.

Bowling-wise, though, RCB look sharper this year with the addition of Jamieson, while the exposure the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini had in Australia should put them in good stead going into the tournament. Siraj was impressive last time as well and his improvement over the last few months may well be a cause of concern for RCB’s opponents.

And then they have all-rounder Washington Sundar, who too has proved to be a game-changer since the tour of Australia. Economical bowling and useful batting down the order make Washington precious for Kohli. With Washington’s progress and the presence of Adam Zampa — another decent performer with his leg-spin — RCB may not need to rely much on Yuzvendra Chahal, who has had a tough time lately.

Lessons from IPL 2020

⚫ The defeats RCB suffered last season were mainly due to their batting. And to get it right, they first need to fix the No.3 slot. Of course, De Villiers could be one choice for that position, but the fact that he last played a game almost five months ago raises questions about his form and shape. Black Caps’ T20 specialist Finn Allen, who impressed in the recent home T20I series versus Bangladesh, could be tried out for that slot. Even Azharuddeen can bat at the top of the order, having opened for Kerala in this year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.

⚫ Maxwell’s arrival is a boost for RCB, but they must make sure he has a specific position in the batting order. Keeping his position floating, especially in Asian conditions, doesn’t help him at all, something that was noticed last year.

Last year’s finish: Lost in Eliminator

X-factor

Although he is completely untested in these conditions, Jamieson could well be the surprise element of this IPL. Being an unknown entity could well work to his advantage in his debut season.

Jamieson makes use of his towering height, extracting awkward bounce and can also get the ball to dart in, which Indian batters too had experienced during the New Zealand tour in early 2020. His role is primarily that of a pacer, but if required, he can use the long handle to good effect and clear the ground with ease. And so far, he has done that across all formats.

Jamieson in T20s (overall)

Bowling

⚫ Mts 42 ⚫ Wkts 55 ⚫ Best Bowling 6/7 ⚫ Econ 8.33

Batting

⚫ Mts 42 ⚫ Runs 231 ⚫ HS 33 n.o. ⚫ Avg 25.66 ⚫ SR 140.85