Hasaranga will add a new dimension to Royal Challengers Bangalore

He was grabbed by Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2022 mega auctions for a whopping INR 10.75 crore to become one of the most expensive buys of the franchise.

Stellar Performance in 2021

Wanindu Hasaranga appeared in the second half of IPL 2021 as the replacement player of Adam Zampa as the latter withdrew from the tournament citing personal reasons. Hasaranga in that league played just two matches, the remaining wicket less.

However, he caught attention later in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 as he finished as the highest wicket-taker, setting a record for most wickets in a single edition of the tournament by scalping 16 wickets.

He displayed his all-rounder skills during India’s tour to Sri Lanka in July 2021 and won Player of the series for being a major contributor.

Choosing Hasaranga over Chahal

With all his skills visible over a while, the Bangalore franchise went for him over their long-time leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. 

On not getting Yuzvendra Chahal, Mike Hesson, RCB’s Director of Operations, said, "If we knew we could get Yuzi, we will try to get Yuzi. We love Yuzi.

"The fact that he is coming up when he’s coming up, (coupled with) the volatility and chance of getting along with teams that have a bigger budget, is so risky that if you end up not getting Hasaranga, you get yourself stuck. That’s the volatility and that’s a massive."

Going overboard for the all-rounder

While questions were raised on the price for which Wanindu Hasaranga was bought, Royal Challengers Bangalore, in their podcast, revealed that the franchise paid an extra INR 75 lakh for Sri Lanka star Wanindu Hasaranga.

Mike Hesson said, "We look at Hasaranga being our most important overseas purchase. We have allocated 10 (crore) there."

Pros and cons with Wanindu Hasaranga

With Wanindu Hasaranga in their squad, RCB has brought a solid wicket-taking option for their team. With the ability to bowl the most lethal googlies, he will be a great threat to middle-over batters, especially left-hand batters.

Apart from his powerful bowling arms, he has the capabilities to contribute to the team with the bats. He increases the depth of the batting line-up for the team.

In the T20s, he has a strike rate of 120.63, making him a power-hitting batsman who can cruise the team to the total. 

Despite all the positives, he lacks experience of playing in the Indian Premier League. Apart from that, he has played just three matches in India. Different soil conditions too affect players' performance.

Also, being one of the expensive buys as a replacement for an experienced leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in auction induces pressure to perform well on-field.