The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) began their preparations for the upcoming IPL 2019 with a strength and conditioning camp with eight of its domestic cricketers including Ranji Trophy highest run-getter Milind Kumar and 16-year-old Bengal prodigy Prayas Ray Burman on Sunday at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The five-day camp will be headed by RCB coaches Gary Kirsten and Ashish Nehra. The Eight players – Uttar Pradesh captain Akshdeep Nath, Mumbai all-rounder Shivam Dubey, talented Delhi batsman Himmat Singh and seamer Kulwant Khejroliya, Tamil Nadu’s Washington Sundar and Devdutt Paddikal from Karnataka – will also undergo a Yo-Yo test to prove their fitness before the tournament begins from March 23.
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RCB bought nine cricketers in the IPL 2019 auctions held in December last year for ₹16.5 crores. They spent as many as ₹5 crores for Mumbai all-rounder Shivam Dubey who made a name for himself by hitting five sixes in an over in a Ranji Trophy match.
RCB, who are yet to win IPL, then roped in UP skipper Akshdeep Nath for ₹3.2 crores and stumped everyone by spending ₹1.5 crores for 16-year-old Bengal leggie Prayas Ray Barman. Before the auctions, RCB released the likes of Brendon McCullum, Corey Anderson, Sarfaraz Khan, and Quinton de Kock.
The 2019 IPL could be preponed by a week in order to offer the Indian players some rest before the World Cup next year in England. As per the existing schedule, the IPL will commence on March 23, followed by the World Cup beginning on May 30.
RCB squad for IPL 2019
Bought this auction: Himmat Singh, Akshdeep Nath, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Prayas Ray Barman, Devdutt Padikkal, Milind Kumar, Shimron Hetmyer, Shivam Dube, Gurkeerat Singh
Retained Players: Virat Kohli(c), Mohammed Siraj, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, Nathan Coulter-Nile, AB de Villiers, Washington Sundar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Parthiv Patel (wk), Pawan Negi, Moeen Ali, Colin de Grandhomme, Marcus Stoinis.
Traded: Mandeep Singh for Marcus Stoinis
