RCB team preview: Will Glenn Maxwell be the X-factor Virat Kohli was searching for?

The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League is inching closer and all the IPL teams have already started their preparations ahead of the mega event. The Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to lay their hands on the coveted championship trophy for the first time. The think tank has introduced noteworthy changes ahead of this year's competition, and they have also acquired the services of several prominent players in the IPL 2021 auction. 

RCB players commence training ahead of IPL 2021 

The franchise is set to play their initial matches in Chennai, and the squad has already commenced their preparatory camp in the city. Players like Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini are a part of the nine-day conditioning camp. Skipper Virat Kohli is supposed to land in Chennai on April 1, and the player will undergo a 7-day quarantine at the team hotel before joining his teammates in the training camp.

Can Glenn Maxwell be RCB team's X-factor?

Swashbuckling Australian batter Glenn Maxwell has emerged to be a top attraction in the Indian Premier League over the years. The player's exploits in white-ball cricket make have established himself as a force to reckon with. The all-rounder was signed by the RCB for a whopping ₹14.25 crore. The player is expected to play a major role alongside Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. 

Maxwell was a part of the Punjab Kings squad last year, but the cricketer failed to make an impact in the season. The 32-year-old surprisingly finished the competition with zero sixes. However, his IPL career has got a new lease of life, and he will be looking to contribute significantly both with bat and bowl for his new franchise. 

IPL teams: RCB players list for IPL 2021 season

The RCB franchise had retained as many as 12 players for the 14th season of the cash-rich league. RCB entered the IPL 2021 auction with a purse of ₹35.40 crore and a total of 14 slots to be filled, including three overseas slots. The IPL 2016 runner-ups didn't shy away from spending big bucks on the overseas players they wanted and at the same time, they ensured that they invested in young Indian talent. They have also traded in Harshal Patel and Daniel Sams from the Delhi Capitals side. 

RCB team for IPL 2021

Virat Kohli (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Finn Allen (wk), AB de Villiers (wk), Pavan Deshpande, Washington Sundar, Daniel Sams, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Kane Richardson, Harshal Patel, Glenn Maxwell, Sachin Baby, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Kyle Jamieson, Daniel Christian, Suyash Prabhudessai, K.S. Bharat

RCB IPL 2021 schedule 

The Royal Challengers Bangalore side, under the guidance of captain Virat Kohli, will square off against the defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the tournament on April 9 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. RCB are slated to play three matches in Chennai, two in Mumbai, four at the newly-renovated Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and five of them at Kolkata respectively. Here is the RCB IPL 2021 schedule -

Image source: RCB Instagram