IPL 2019: Dale Steyn Joins Royal Challengers Bangalore, Replaces Injured Nathan Coulter-Nile

The 35-year old Protea pacer went sold in the previous two IPL auctions and last played in the competition in 2016 when he represented Gujarat Lions.

Veteran South African pacer Dale Steyn is set to join Royal Challengers Bangalore as a replacement for injured Australian Nathan Coulter-Nile, giving a much-needed boost to the bowling department of the bottom-placed team in the IPL. ESPNcricinfo reported that Steyn will replace Coulter-Nile, who is recovering from a back injury. Steyn went sold in the previous two IPL auctions and last played in the competition in 2016 when he represented Gujarat Lions. He also played for RCB between 2008 and 2010, taking 27 wickets.

RCB, who are yet to win a game this season and have lost six in a row, will be hoping Steyn fires from the word go.

Long time, no see. Welcome back. 😎 #playBold pic.twitter.com/QOmXUi9CoM

— Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) April 12, 2019

Coulter-Nile had missed the first few weeks of IPL 2019 because of his international commitments, with Australia taking on Pakistan in an ODI series in the UAE.

With the ODIs having ended on March 29, the Aussie pacer was expected to have joined the RCB squad in the first week of April – along with team-mates Marcus Stoinis, while Ashton Turner linked up with Rajasthan Royals – but was later expected to join the squad on April 13.

With Steyn included in their lineup, Bangalore will hope for a change in fortune and will look to register their first win in the 12th edition of the lucrative league.

With their backs firmly to the wall, out-of-sorts Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will take on Kings XI Punjab in a must-win encounter at the IS Bindra Stadium on Saturday. RCB have lost six matches on the trot, finding themselves rooted to the bottom of the eight-team table.

RCB slumped to their sixth straight defeat after going down against Delhi Capitals last Sunday.

Kohli, who was recently named the Leading Cricketer of the Year for the third successive time by Wisden Almanack, looked distraught and on Saturday will know that they can only reverse their fortunes by winning all their remaining eight matches from Saturday onwards.