Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday (August 21) confirmed signing three players for the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. The franchise roped in all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, pacer Dushmantha Chameera and Singapore batsman Tim David.

While Hasaranga has replaced Adam Zampa, Chameera and David have come in for Daniel Sams and Finn Allen. Zampa had returned home before the suspension of the first phase of IPL 2021 and he was likely to skip the season.

Sams had contracted COVID in India and was doubtful to land in UAE. Allen, the third RCB player who has withdrawn from the season, was confirmed to sit out after he was named in the New Zealand squad for the Pakistan and Bangladesh series.

Hasaranga’s addition comes as a big boost to RCB as the star all-rounder is one of the best players in white-ball cricket right now. His stocks have gone up in past one year or so and Hasaranga also shone against India.

Was it his performance against India which caught RCB’s attention? Speaking to Hindustan Times, RCB coach Mike Hesson said that they called up Hasanranga during the last IPL as well, meaning that they had their eyes on the all-rounder.

“We have a scouting program that has been in place for the last two years where we know almost every player that is playing cricket around the world at a decent level. Wanindu had been on our radar for a long time. In fact, we needed a replacement in the last IPL, he was certainly the person we called upon. It’s not a recency factor,” Hesson told Hindustan Times.

A capped player in all formats, Hasaranga has 192 runs and 33 wickets in 22 T20Is. Overall, he has 762 runs and 80 wickets in the shortest format. 

It will be interesting to see if he gets a place in the playing XI or not as there are a few automatic selections in the playing XI. RCB kick off their UAE leg of IPL 2021 against Kolkata Knight Riders on September 20