Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said that the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) bowling has become weaker after their releases and acquisitions before IPL 2024 as well. However, RCB released a few prominent bowlers like Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga and Harshal Patel and bought Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal and Tom Curran at the auction as well.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Gavaskar said: “I think the bowling has become weaker, no question about it. We knew that Josh Hazlewood was not going to be available for the full season. So him not being selected is understandable. However, to let go of Harshal Patel, to let go of Hasaranga, both of whom can bowl at the start as well as in the middle and the final overs, to let go of such experience means they have probably not helped their team.”

Harshal Patel claimed 14 wickets which came at an economy rate of 9.65 in 13 games in IPL 2023. Hasaranga scalped nine dismissals in eight matches and gave away an average of 8.89 runs per over last season as well.

“Yes, you might have got a Lockie Ferguson in the team and you have got an Alzarri Joseph, who has probably got the best figures in the IPL when he played for the Mumbai Indians, he has six wickets for 12 runs or something like that, but can he replicate it on the Chinnaswamy pitches? That is going to be the issue. So the bowling certainly has become a little weak because the spin options are also not quite there, with Hasaranga not there, and the death-over options, which you had with a Harshal Patel, are also not quite there,” Sunil Gavaskar concluded.