Mike Hesson
Wanidu Hasaranga is "honoured and thrilled" to be a part of Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the remainder of the IPL 2021. The Lankan leg-spinner was signed up by the Bangalore-based outfit as Adam Zampa's replacement for the second phase of the fourteenth IPL season, slated to begin from September 19 in the UAE.
"From sitting at home and watching them, to being a part of an amazing team. I am excited, honoured and thrilled all at once," Hasaranga said in an Instagram post.
Along with the Sri Lanka leg-spinner who picked 7 wickets in 3 matches in the recent T20I series against Shikhar Dhawan-led India, RCB also got hold of Lankan pacer Dushmantha Chameera and Singapore all-rounder Tim David.
Director of Cricket Mike Hesson, who replaced Simon Katich as the head coach of the franchise, also heaped praise on Hasaranga, hinting that the tweaker could play alongside Yuzvendra Chahal to bolster the spin department.
"We've got an extensive scouting program and Wanindu's certainly been on our radar for a long time," Hesson said.
"In fact, when we needed a replacement last IPL, he was certainly a person we called upon. It's certainly not a recency factor, we're not surprised by his success in recent times, he's been doing it for a while. As I said he's a multi-skilled cricketer, he offers us an option to bat a little bit deeper if we choose to play the overseas spinner alongside Chahal.
"Chameera also, so another [from] Sri Lankan contingent. He's bowling extremely well at the moment. He's got genuine pace and his white-ball game has developed significantly."
RCB's domestic players and support staff are scheduled to depart for UAE on a chartered flight on August 29. Vying for their maiden IPL trophy, RCB will resume their campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on September 20 in Abu Dhabi.
