Faf du Plessis conceded that RCB should have scored more runs in the final five overs, particularly with Virat Kohli and Cameron Green in the middle.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Faf Du Plessis remarked after his team’s six-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) that the wicket was difficult in the first innings but improved to bat on later due to dew. Virat Kohli’s blitzkrieg century was in vain as Rajasthan Royals (RR) defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by six wickets on Saturday with to Jos Buttler’s explosive century that lit up Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Plessis stated, “I believe we found the wicket tricky in the first innings,” during the post-match presentation following the game. I felt that 190 was a decent score, but we could have added a maximum of 10 to 15 runs. They made a wise choice to bowl first because their spinners bowled well (in the middle overs). It becomes easier to bat with the dew. You want to make the most of those final overs when someone like Cameron Green comes in, and Virat was playing well at the back part of the game. Squeezing against the spinners was difficult, despite our best efforts. Hitting the seamers was less difficult.
You could tell that the pitch was getting better; the ball was sliding along nicely. In the first four overs, we played really well.”
The captain acknowledged that after an early wicket, spinner Mayank Dagar’s sixth over, which cost RR 22 runs, turned the tide in RR’s run-chase. In addition, he gave the justification for not passing the ball to Maxwell, the RCB bowler with the most wickets taken in this tournament—four.
“I believe Dagar’s 20 runs overturned the momentum and put the burden back on us. Maxwell wasn’t bowled because all right-handers were batting, thus the left-handed spinner was used first. After putting two right-handers at the crease, Himanshu Sharma, the leg spinner, was brought into the attack by the left-arm spinner. We needed wickets, there was no use in playing defense,” Plessis stated.
“I didn’t feel like going to Maxwell after we were able to free Jaiswal. We have discussed the fact that fielding was mediocre and will endeavor to do better. “It’s more important to demonstrate intensity on the field than worrying about catches,” he said.
As they entered the game, RR sent RCB on the field first. Even after captain Faf Du Plessis (44 in 33 balls, two fours and two sixes) and opener Virat Kohli (113* in 72 balls, 12 fours and four sixes) put up a solid opening partnership of 125 runs, RCB could not muster much more than 183/3 in their 20 overs.
RR’s preferred bowler was Yuzvendra Chahal (2/34). Also taking a wicket was Nandre Burger.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was lost by RR in the run-chase for a duck. In his 100th IPL encounter, Jos Buttler (100* in 58 balls, with nine fours and four sixes) and captain Sanju Samson (69 in 42 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) combined to restore form to Buttler. With five balls and six wickets remaining, RR managed to reduce the total despite a few fast wickets thereafter.
The RCB’s preferred bowler was Reece Topley (2/27). Yash Dayal and Mohammed Siraj both claimed a wicket, but it was insufficient.
Buttler won the title of “Player of the Match.”
RR has eight points after winning four of their four games, placing them in first place. With just two points from their five games, RCB sits in ninth place despite winning all of them.
