IPL 2024: Head coach Andy Flower reveals why RCB spent Rs 15.50 crore on two pacers at mini-auction

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) made some interesting purchases at the IPL 2024 Auction in Dubai, leaving some fans happy, while others were disappointed over the choice of players the franchise went after at the mini-auction.

However, RCB's newly-appointed coach ahead of IPL 2024, Andy Flower, believes with this line-up, RCB will be able to set big totals and chase down big totals. The IPL 2024 Auction was held at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on December 19, where RCB purchased Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Lockie Ferguson, Tom Curran, Saurav Chauhan, and Swapnil Singh.

Speaking to JioCinema, the former Zimbabwe cricketer also threw light on the reason why they went after West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph for a whopping Rs 11.50 crore. Joseph has played with RCB skipper Faf du Plessis in CPL and SA20 and the 55-year-old added reckons the experience of playing with the senior South African will bode well for the Caribbean pacer.

"It was great getting Cameron Green during the trade before the auctions. We had a go at Pat Cummins but were outbid in the end. We went for Alzarri and are really happy to have him. He's a quality operator. Faf (du Plessis) and I have worked with him before at Saint Lucia Kings and I think Faf's worked with him in the SA20 as well," Flower said.

Another buy from RCB that didn't go down well with the fans was uncapped India pacer Yash Dayal, for whom the franchise spent Rs 5 crore. The left-arm quick from Uttar Pradesh - who played for Gujarat Titans - went for five consecutive sixes in the final over off Rinku Singh during IPL 2023 against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Flower - who was the coach of Lucknow Super Giants until last season - added, "As far as Yash Dayal is concerned, we saw some of his potential last year, certainly with the new ball for swing and wicket-taking potential. I know he had a hard time at the death occasionally, but we believe he's got high potential and we are looking for great things from him."

On whether RCB will focus on big-hitting with the current batting line-up they have, Flower claimed, "With the recruitment of Cameron Green, we certainly wanted to get some power into the middle-order. So, if we've got Maxwell and Green at 4 and 5, it gives us that power.

"We've got DK (Dinesh Karthik) at No 6 and obviously the class of Faf, Virat and Patidar upfront. We think that's a really great top 6. We should be able to set big totals and chase down big totals."