Top 5 bowlers for RCB

IPL, the most followed league across the globe, since its advent has provided unprecedented bowling spectacles. Initially, T20 was regarded as a batsman's game, but over the years, the numbers infer that the bowlers have shared a fair amount of success.

With 333 wickets between them, let us take a look at some of the most reputable bowlers to have ever played for RCB. 

Yuzvendra Chahal

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Matches - 83 | Wickets - 100 | BBI - 4/25 

On February 13, 2014, Richard Madly put his gavel saying, "Yuzvendra Chahal ... going 1 .. 2 .. 3 ... Sold! To the Royal Bangalore Challengers!" - It marked the beginning of Yuzi-Bengaluru liaison. 

From a record-breaking 6/25 spell against England to achieving his best IPL figures against KXIP in IPL, Yuzvendra Chahal has a surfeit of memories correlated to the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium. 

Virat Kohli has always entrusted Yuzvendra Chahal to provide the breakthrough at different junctures of the game. Despite the small dimensions of boundaries at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Chahal's moxie and tactful bowling made him a uniquely formidable spinner to face. 

With 100 wickets in 83 matches, Chahal has proved to be the backbone of RCB bowling line-up. In 2015 and 2016, Yuzvendra was at the forefront of things, scalping 44 wickets at an average of 18.56 from 29 matches. Thanks to a cluster of consistent performances - Yuzvendra Chahal has illustrated to be an indispensable part of India and RCB squad. 

Key Stats

• Since 2014, Yuzvendra Chahal has accounted for 19.84% (100 out of 504)  of the total tally of wickets.
• In 2019, Chahal bowled the most number of dot balls (19) in an innings against CSK at Chepauk - the joint best by an RCB bowler. 
• With 51 wickets at an average of 21.43, Yuzvendra Chahal has been the most successful bowler at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in the Indian Premier League

Vinay Kumar 

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Matches - 70 | Wickets - 80 | BBI - 4/40  

The steady run-up, an old school front on bowling action, and a swift follow-through - a 25-year-old Vinay Kumar burst onto the IPL domain. In 2009, Vinay Kumar showed early signs of his proficiencies with the ball. 

However, in 2012, Royal Challengers Bangalore went into a fierce bidding war and acquired him for a whooping sum of $1 million.

Amidst the presence of stalwarts like Zaheer Khan and Daniel Vettori, Vinay Kumar carved a niche for himself. In 2012, the pacer ended up with 19 wickets at a strike rate of 16.73 in 15 matches. A year on from his breakthrough season, the Karnataka pacer returned back to the drawing board and decided to widen his repertoire. In the process, he gradually established himself in the International scene.

The pacer ended up as the highest wicket-taker for RCB in two consecutive years - grabbing 42 wickets from 31 matches.

Anil Kumble 

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Matches - 51 | Wickets - 53 | BBI - 5/5 

Royal Challengers Bangalore attained the services of the veteran spinner in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League.

With the likes of Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Wasim Jaffer, Zaheer Khan and Sunil Joshi in the squad, RCB had already formed a strong base of domestic players.

An imitable run-up to the crease, a high arm bowling action and supremely accurate - Anil Kumble reformulated the art of bowling in the T20s. In 2009, the Karnataka spinner stimulated the team to greater heights - leading RCB to the maiden final of the IPL.

During his tenure as the captain, the cricketing fraternity gradually started to catch sight of RCB's rise as a dominant side, playing significant roles in the 2009 and 2010 campaign - picking up a total of 38 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 6.14 in 32 matches. 

Key Stats 

• With 45 wickets in 42 matches, Anil Kumble was the highest wicket-taker for RCB in the first three editions of the Indian Premier League.
• The veteran spinner has enjoyed bowling against now defunct, Deccan Chargers. Kumble has taken a total of 13 wickets at a staggering strike rate of 14.54 in 8 matches.
• Anil Kumble recorded his career-best IPL figures against Rajasthan Royals in 2009 - 5/5 at the Newlands Stadium, Cape Town.

Sreenath Aravind 

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Matches - 44 | Wickets - 51 | BBI - 4/14 

On the back of consistent performances in domestic cricket, Sreenath Aravind was drafted into the RCB setup in 2011.

Similar to his statemate Vinay Kumar, the left-arm pacer made an instant impact in IPL. With the ability to extract bounce from the surface bred with the quality of handcuffing the batsman with the off-cutters, Aravind proved to be a vital asset for RCB. He played a central role in RCB's successful campaign in 2011 and 2016 - picking 32 wickets at an average of 18.57 in 22 matches.

Key Stats 

• In 2011, Sreenath Aravind recorded the best bowling strike rate of 13.14 from 13 matches. (min 30 overs bowled)
• The Karnataka pacer has two four-wicket hauls to his name in the IPL. Interestingly, two of them were against the same opponents (KXIP) and on the same date (6th May) of different years.
• Aravind favoured playing against Kings XI Punjab in the IPL - the speedster possessed a strike rate of 9.82 and has accounted for 11 wickets in 6 matches.

Zaheer Khan  

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Matches - 44 | Wickets - 49 | BBI - 4/17 

What is a T20 side without a left-arm pacer in the ranks? With Praveen Kumar and Anil Kumble in the roster, the inclusion of Zaheer Khan bolstered the bowling attack.

Having vast experience at the highest level, the veteran pace fared well in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League - fetching 13 wickets at a strike rate of 19.38 in 11 innings.

In 2013, the left-arm pacer recorded his best bowling figures against Chennai Super Kings in a rain-curtailed game at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium. Zaheer ran through the CSK top-order with a four-wicket haul, helping RCB secure a 24-run win.

With 49 wickets at an economy rate of 7.67 in just 44 matches, Zaheer Khan stands fifth in the list.

Key Stats

• In 2013, Zaheer Khan recorded the best bowling average (9.40) of the tournament.
• With 146 dot balls, Zaheer Khan bowled the most number of dot balls in 2012 IPL.
• The left-arm pacer was the highest wicket-taker for RCB with 13 scalps in the inaugural edition of the IPL.