Royal Challengers Bangalore has started their IPL 2019 campaign dismally, losing three successive games. While RCB suffered a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the tournament opener, they agonizingly fell 6 runs short of Mumbai Indians’ target in the second game.
The third match was a nightmare for Virat Kohli and company as they got annihilated by Sunrisers Hyderabad. RCB conceded a mammoth score of 231/2 in 20 overs and then bundled out for a paltry 113 in 19.5 overs while chasing.
Ahead of their fourth encounter of the season against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, RCB’s marquee batsman AB de Villiers has said that they must trust their personal abilities to bounce back in the tournament.
"It just so happened that Virat Kohli and I were sitting beside each other on the RCB bus back to the hotel after our emphatic defeat against Sunrisers in Hyderabad. He looked at me. I looked at him. There was nothing to say. This was not what we expected. We have been together as a squad for more than two weeks now, and we have worked exceptionally hard. Our preparation has been excellent, and the team feels balanced. No question, we should be winning matches. And yet, we are not winning. We've played three and lost three, and RCB supporters are rightly concerned by the prospect of another disappointing season," De Villiers wrote in his column for TOI.
He was full of praise for SRH openers, Jonny Bairstow and David Warner, who forged IPL's best ever opening stand of 185 runs to lead the foundation for home team’s 118-run win.
"We were humbled in Hyderabad, no question. Jonny Bairstow and David Warner produced an epic opening partnership of 165 runs, starting fast and maintaining the pace for more than 16 overs. Chasing a target of 231 was always going to be tough, and it became almost impossible as we were reduced to 35 for six by the offbreaks of Mohammad Nabi. A few little moments go against you and, all of a sudden, the game is gone. Without taking anything away from SRH, the game might have been different if, for example, the ball had looped from the leading edge of Warner's bat to a fielder instead of a gap," he added.
Barring Parthiv Patel (11), none of their top-six batsmen reached the double-digit mark. It was RCB’s second biggest defeat in terms of runs in the history of Indian Premier League. This loss has also propelled Bangalore to the bottom of the points table.
"What now? We have at least 11 pool matches left and IPL history suggests you need to win eight, or even seven games to progress to the knock-out stages. Can this RCB team suddenly turn the corner and win five matches in a row? Absolutely. Our immediate challenge is to keep faith in ourselves, not just as a squad but as individuals under pressure. Cricket remains a team game but, whether you're a batsman or a bowler, each of us must fight through tough times and trust our own personal ability," De Villiers concluded.
