Bowling unit needs to improve: Kumble

After posting a formidable 184 on the board, Royal Challengers failed to prevent the onslaught from half-centurions T Suman and Andrew Symonds. 

“The 180-plus total was defendable. Yes, we did not get wickets at regular intervals and the crucial period was between the 10th and 12th overs, but we failed to get a wicket at that stage. All three departments need to come good in the remaining matches,” Kumble said in his post-match press-do.

“Perhaps, we did not get the desired kind of start to the innings and the batsmen took a few overs to settle down but having said that, we finished our innings well. But the lack of momentum in the first part of the innings prevented us from amassing a much bigger total. Our bowling unit has delivered on the same pitch earlier also, so we need to get better as a bowling unit,” the veteran leggie said.

Kumble did not view the defeat as a drastic setback, but a challenge for the team to come up with stronger performances in the remaining matches. “We are in a similar situation as we had been last year in South Africa. We had done well last year and there’s no reason why can’t we produce the goods once more,” he said.

The former Indian skipper heaped praise on Symonds and Suman for their cavalier knocks. “When we got Rohit Sharma cheaply, we thought the momentum was shifting in our favour. We knew that Rohit and Symonds where the dangermen in their camp. But Suman played a good knock with Symonds,” he added.

Kumble added that Virat Kohli’s performance, a 35-ball 58, was one of the positives to emerge from the match, and hoped the youngster would keep performing in the subsequent matches.

Chargers’ skipper Adam Gilchrist sounded pleased with the result. “We have improved 90 percent from our last few games, more importantly our bowling was 90 percent better today. But there are still areas to work on for us,” he said.

On his team’s chances of making the semis, Gilchrist said, “We are not thinking along those lines now. It’s a hard road ahead of us.”

On his knock, man of the match Suman said, “I did not feel any pressure with Symo-nds at the other end.”