Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have made an impressive start to the IPL 2025 season, with legendary South African cricketer AB de Villiers hailing their squad balance as significantly improved compared to previous years.
RCB’s 50-run victory against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk on Friday marked their second consecutive away win and their first triumph in Chennai since 2008.
On his podcast ‘AB de Villiers 360′, the former RCB stalwart expressed his admiration for the team’s composition.
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“The balance of the RCB squad is 10 times better compared to previous seasons,” de Villiers stated, emphasising the importance of squad depth over relying on individual brilliance.
One of the key factors he pointed out was the inclusion of Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the CSK clash, highlighting RCB’s newfound squad depth.
“I saw Bhuvi and thought, ‘he wasn’t going to play, and now he’s in.’ That’s what you want. You want guys where you go, ‘wow, is this guy the replacement?’ He wasn’t in the first game against KKR, and now they bring in Bhuvi Kumar in the second. That’s the kind of balance and depth you need.”
Kumar’s impact was immediate, dismissing Deepak Hooda early and reducing CSK to 26/3 in the Power Play, which ultimately restricted them to 146/8 in their chase of 197.
De Villiers was particularly impressed by RCB’s performances in back-to-back away victories against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and CSK at Chepauk, positioning them at the top of the table with two wins and a strong net run rate.
Beyond the on-field performances, de Villiers suggested that constant travel might actually benefit RCB, helping maintain team chemistry.
“Traveling all the time can sometimes bring a squad together more than staying at home, where players might split up and do their own thing,” he observed.
Additionally, de Villiers identified missed catches of Rajat Patidar, who scored 51 off 32 balls, as a turning point in the match. He commended Patidar’s ability to handle pressure while filling in for Virat Kohli’s crucial role in the batting lineup.
With their best start in years, RCB appear to have found a winning formula — a balanced squad capable of adapting and excelling in any condition.
Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.
