A day before the start of a new journey for Royal Challengers Bangalore, their public relations team was running a survey among journalists to understand how they could improve brand value.
When asked why, they categorically stated that they were uncomfortable being perceived as ‘just a cricket team’. They wanted to find ways to highlight their swanky bar in Bengaluru and their online merchandise. An interesting priority to have, sitting on the precipice of yet another Indian Premier League.
The strategy does make business sense since the brand tried to organically introduce a sense of pride and belonging to the local population, and failed. Not miserably, sure, but RCB does not enjoy the kind of emotional connect the likes of Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have basked in since inception. Therein lies a clue.
As DJ John Revox’s famous trumpet tune returns to add a background score to dreams and nightmares for the next two months, RCB have a chance to organically build their brand, and all that would take is one title.
Chennai have four and Mumbai have five, and with it they have naturally become more marketable. Though RCB are not far behind on that scale, they have historically relied on icons - not victories and titles (they have none) - to improve brand value.
For the 15th edition, they have the one ‘icon’ left in Virat Kohli. The rest, while good cricketers, are not going to give you the life-altering experience of a larger-than-life Chris Gayle or the transcendental genius of the demure AB de Villiers. They are all rather understated, but that might just turn out to be a good thing.
For one, Kohli will settle into the role of a pure batter, not something he has done since taking over the reigns in 2013, so you can expect him to be a little less in your face. Seems like a stretch, but a careful look at his evolution shows that he has learnt how to distribute his energy more efficiently, even less crudely.
Now that Faf du Plessis is in charge, one can expect a more calm approach overall. Perhaps MS Dhoni’s influence on him from his stint with Chennai could even come through. And for a side that has not had such zen since Rahul Dravid in 2008 or Daniel Vettori in 2011-12, this will come as a relief.
Even the outlook has changed to a degree where they have focused on composition and balance instead of building sides around one or two, or three, stars.
So, do they look perfect? Hardly. Their batting looks flimsy on paper with the unknowns such as Anuj Rawat expected to bear the brunt upfront. The rest of the batting unit has experience in du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik, but for the most part, they are young and look underwhelming.
In a step away from the norm, their bowling looks world-class with Harshal Patel and Mohammed Siraj in charge of the Indian side of things, while Josh Hazlewood offers the foreign pace angle. Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasarang’s expensive purchase was planned well ahead for the pitches in Mumbai can be slow. Also, they do not have Yuzvendra Chahal anymore. Again, not necessarily a bad thing.
RCB are expected to miss the services of Maxwell and Hazlewood for the first few games, but that should not derail them much either.