Royal implosion: Bangalore batsmen no challenge for SRH pacers, bowled out for 68
This has been their trend. Every now and then, Royal Challengers Bangalore would come up with a batting disaster-class, when collectively they would implode.
Last year, they were bundled out for 92 against Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi. In 2017, they had folded up for 49 against KKR at Eden Gardens. The only solace from their 68 all out in 16.1 overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday could be that it came fairly early into the season, with RCB on 10 points from eight games and still a lot of cricket left in this IPL.
Once RCB had lost three wickets in Marco Jansen’s first over, their recovery depended on Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik. The former perished for 12 and Karthik, for a change, got out without opening his account. For Sunrisers Hyderabad, it was about getting to the victory target quickly and improving their net run rate. Their nine-wicket win, with 12 overs to spare, took them to 10 points and upped their net run rate to 0.691. Abhishek Sharma was the enforcer with 47 off 28 balls.
An emphatic win for #SRH as they beat #RCB 9 wickets 👏🔥
Splendid performance from Kane & Co. This is one happy group right now 😃😃
They move to No.2 on the points table #TATAIPL | #RCBvSRH | #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/TocgmvruFL
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 23, 2022
Test-match length
Sunrisers arguably boast the finest pace attack in this tournament, along with Gujarat Titans. The advantage of having four quality seamers is that attack can be relentless. As Jansen had RCB on the mat upfront, his pace partners ensured that there was no fightback from the opponents.
Jansen played a big part in South Africa’s home Test series win against India in the winter. Here, his Test-match length undid the RCB top order.
For picking up 3 key wickets, Marco Jansen is the Player of the Match in Match 36 as @SunRisers beat #RCB 9 wickets 👌👌#TATAIPL #RCBvSRH pic.twitter.com/3xENNUif1K
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 23, 2022
The first ball of his first over had nipped into Faf du Plessis. When he made the next ball hold its line, du Plessis was outwitted. The RCB captain, squared up the length, played down the wrong line and was bowled neck and crop.
Virat Kohli departed on his heels – another full-length ball that angled across and took the outside edge to Aiden Markram at slip. In the final ball of the over, Anuj Rawat jabbed at an away-goer without conviction and Markram took another fine catch at slip. That three-wicket over broke the backbone of the RCB batting.
Faf du Plessis ☝️Virat Kohli ☝️Anuj Rawat ☝️
A dream start with the ball for Marco Jansen who picks three wickets in an over 🔥🔥#TATAIPL | #RCBvSRH #RCBvSRH pic.twitter.com/oOGoEgPD86
— Beast (@cskvijay007) April 23, 2022
There was still the small matter of removing Maxwell, who had warmed up with a couple of fours against Jansen. But miming a T Natarajan delivery cost him dear, as he looked to clear the in-field. Kane Williamson took a fine diving catch at mid-off. Sunrisers’ catching was excellent. Natarajan, meanwhile, returned with 3/10 from three overs. Jansen’s figures read; 3/25 from four.
As for Karthik, gloving an innocuous delivery down the leg side from left-arm spinner Jagadeesha Suchith was an anti-climax. The RCB innings had only two double-digit scores.
Kohli’s golden duck
Back-to-back golden ducks would increase the clamour around Kohli. To be fair to him, he got a very good ball to start with. Jansen bowled it full and it also swung a bit. Kohli made a make approaching it with hard hands and pushing at it, but more than anything, it was typical of a batsman going through a wretched run of form. The rub of the green has deserted him. Whether a break from cricket, as advised Ravi Shastri, would serve him well, is completely Kohli’s call.
I was there when you were scoring runs for fun. Everytime you lighted up my gloomy face when you used to come at crease. But Now You are going through with tough time and its time to my responsibilty to shower blessing upon you Coz you badly Need this.Love you ❤️#ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/6tS6h5PHRK
— ANJALI GUPTA (@ViratKo05779780) April 23, 2022
Advice at the moment is coming thick and fast though. As Kohli departed for another first-ball duck, former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin posted on Twitter: “Virat Kohli deserves a much-needed break from some matches. A little rest should rejuvenate him.”
In eight matches so far, the RCB skipper has scored 119 runs. Quitting captaincy hasn’t augured well for him.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bangalore 68 all out in 16.1 overs (Suyash Prabhudessai 15; Marco Jansen 3/25, T Natarajan 3/10) lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad 72 for 1 in 8 overs (Abhishek Sharma 47, Kane Williamson 16 not out; Harshal Patel 1/18) 9 wickets
