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With all ten Indian Premier League (IPL) teams ready with their respective squads for the upcoming 18th edition of the tournament, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) recently hosted their first pre-season training camp. The franchise, who have their eyes set on the prize in order to lift their maiden IPL title, saw the likes of India all-rounder Krunal Pandya and yorker specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar attend the camp in Bengaluru.
It is to be noted that the Bengaluru-based franchise had retained only three players ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, including Virat Kohli (INR 21 Crore), Rajat Patidar (INR 11 Crore) and Yash Dayal (INR 5 Crore). They then bought 19 players at the auction table to complete a squad of 22 players for the upcoming season, including the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (INR 10.75 Cr) and Krunal Pandya (INR 5.75 Cr).
RCB becomes first team to hold pre-season training camp ahead of IPL 2025
The camp featured their recently-signed players including the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Jitesh Sharma along with their retained players, Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal. The side was overlooked by their Head Coach Andy Flower and Director of Cricket Mo Bobat as they trained with the bat, ball and got to know their key roles in the side in the upcoming edition of the cash-rich league.
"Most people might expect us to take a break after the busy auction prep and the auction itself. However, Andy and I were eager to get started right away. The ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Bangalore provided the perfect opportunity to watch players in action and host a camp. Our goal was to quickly familiarize ourselves with the players, especially those new to us," Mo Bobat said in a video shared by RCB.
"Some players were familiar because they've been with us before, while others were completely new. It was crucial to understand their strengths and how we can support their growth. The camp included practice sessions, one-on-one coaching, physical screenings, and medical check-ups. We can now map out individualised programs to help players focus on their priorities," he further added.
Watch first glimpses of RCB’s pre-season training camp:
Their new signing, Krunal Pandya also shared how helpful these sessions were in providing clarity about his role."It's been very good. From a clarity point of view about roles and responsibilities, it gives me a clear idea of how to prepare for the next IPL and my role in RCB," he said in the video.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 squad
Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Jacob Bethell, Manoj Bhandage, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee.
