IPL 2024: RCB look to address bowling woes

Bengaluru: With their Achilles heel - bowling - rupturing once again as early as the season opener against Chennai Super Kings, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be banking on home comfort to find a remedy before things start to spiral out of control.

For several seasons, the Royal Challengers have struggled to piece together a potent bowling attack but when they splurged Rs 11.5 crore on Alzarri Joseph at last December’s auction, they hoped the West Indian could be the difference maker. The Antiguan and the rest of the attack were, however, given a reality check by the Super Kings.

Joseph, Mohammed Siraj and Yash Dayal, used as an impact substitute, went for pace and bounce at Chepauk in a bid to intimidate their rivals but in the end it was they who were left battered and bruised. Attempting to make full use of the new two-bouncer rule, the trio constantly attempted the short stuff but with no real direction and venom, they just ended up being taken to the cleaners.

Siraj went for 9.50 runs an over in his four wicketless overs, Dayal got creamed for 28 runs (9.33) in three overs while Joseph, whom the RCB think-tank wants to use as a death-overs specialist, was hammered for 10.36 runs an over. Even fast-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green, despite taking two wickets, struggled to contain the carnage, conceding 27 runs in 3 overs (9.00). The virus spread to Karn Sharma, tasked with the role of lead spinner despite not holding much pedigree, who ended up giving 24 runs in 2 overs. 

Things are bound to only get only tougher as they host a buoyant Punjab Kings at the M Chinnaswamy stadium here on Monday. Firstly because the ground is known to be a batter’s ally, leaving bowlers no room for errors. With the boundaries not too big — even mis-hits can fly into the stands — and the pitch often belters, scores over 200 are a regular occurrence here. While the fans love it, bowlers dread a day in the office at Chinnaswamy.

Secondly, Punjab Kings, who like RCB have not won the league despite being part of the jamboree since inception, are coming off a solid win over Delhi Capitals. Their two major foreign recruits, Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone, hammered 63 and 38 respectively to star in a thrilling four-wicket win. 

Punjab is the first of the three games RCB will play at home over the next nine days before they travel to Jaipur for their last game in the first leg. It gives the comfort of home to address a key issue that’s being weighing them down time and time again. Siraj, Joseph and Green endured a bad start but given they are bowlers of international repute, they’ll be inching to bounce back.