Royal Challengers Bangalore have released Australian pacer Jason Behrendoff, who they purchased in the previous auction for 75 lakhs. The franchise’s head coach, Sanjay Bangar, has shared his opinion on this trade. 

Mumbai Indians desperately needed a quality left-arm pacer after the release of Tymal Mills and Jaydev Unadkat. RCB’s primary choice for their overseas pacer is Josh Hazlewood, who will be available for most of the season. So it would be difficult for players like Behrendoff to find a place in the playing 11. 

RCB's Head coach Sanjay Bangar speaks about the importance of consistency as he gives his take on RCB's retention strategy ahead of IPL 2023.#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2023 #IPLRetentions #ClassOf2023 pic.twitter.com/LM9kSmdPtb

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) November 16, 2022

“Jason Behrendroff was traded to MI primarily because Josh Hazlewood will be available for most of the season” – Sanjay Bangar

“Jason Behrendroff was traded to MI primarily because Josh Hazlewood will be available for most of the season. Jason was keen on being part of a playing XI, and that is where the opportunities at RCB were always going to be limited. So, that was the thought process behind that release.”

Behrendoff was already a part of the Mumbai franchise in the 2018 and 2019 editions picking up five wickets in the opportunities he has gotten to play. 

Apart from Behrendoff, the team released five other players, of which Sherfane Rutherford is another notable release. He was seen playing in the middle order the previous season in place of Glenn Maxwell. He failed to make an impression in his limited opportunities. 

Sanjay Bangar said, “As far as Sherfane Rutherford was concerned, he got his opportunities, we were tracking his progress, and obviously, the Maxwell injury and the kind of cover that we ideally want for him, it would have been hard for us to force Sherfane in the playing XI.”

RCB has a remaining purse of 8.75 crores to fill their remaining six spots. The Faf du Plessis-led RCB team will hope to end their drought of not lifting the trophy this edition of the IPL.

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