JOIN USTime running out fast for Virat Kohli's Bangalore
When Siraj Mohammad dropped an easy catch near the rope to reprieve KKR’s Chris Lynn on Friday night, Virat Kohli took off his cap and covered his face in utter frustration. One must have been stone-hearted not to have empathised with him at that vulnerable moment.
The last two matches combined alone, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s fielders have grassed 10 catches – some tough ones and most of them eminently catchable at this level. And given their limited bowling resources, they can’t let off so many offers and still hope to win -- no matter what the target is as Andre Russell showed at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
It will perhaps take some time for RCB – or at least some of their bowlers – to come out of the hammering and humiliation they were subjected to during Russell’s violent display of batting. Seemingly in control of the match till the last five overs of the chase, RCB bowling imploded as stunningly as Russell exploded. This was Bangalore’s fifth defeat in as many matches, and while mathematically they still have a chance to make the play-offs, the task appears out of their reach especially given how fragile their bowling is and how disorganised their fielding has been.
Though RCB have bounced back in the past from precarious situations, this time the side doesn’t inspire any confidence of reversing their dwindling fortunes. In the space of five matches they have managed the lowest total of the season (vs CSK), conceded the highest total in an innings (vs SRH) and have failed to defend the biggest total (vs KKR).
RCB have little time to recover from Russell's battering as they run into Delhi Capitals, who have blown hot and blown cold, at Chinnaswamy on Sunday. Capitals have some of the finest Indian and foreign young talent but lack experience which has been their undoing in some of the chases.
On the other hand, RCB have a wealth of experience but they have struggled to ally it with their obvious talent. There is also a small matter of Kohli’s captaincy that has lacked imagination and right combination of personnel. In a tournament where you to get it right as early as possible, RCB look an unsettled unit even after five matches.
There appears to be some consistency in the batting order in the last two matches with Kohli and AB de Villiers occupying two of the top three slots. This should have been the order through all their matches.
The arrival of Marcus Stoinis has added some muscle to the middle-order but Moeen Ali’s presence begs a question. If he is going to be in the XI purely as a batsman – he bowled just one over against Royals and wasn’t pressed into bowling his off-spin on Friday when two other spinners were the best on the show – then they might as well have South African Heinrich Klaasen.
There isn’t much scope to tweak the bowling as they have limited quality options. While it will be harsh to leave out Tim Southee - who conceded 63 runs in his four overs against KKR -- after just one match, RCB may seriously consider swapping the Kiwi with Aussie paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile and pray he provides some teeth to a largely lackluster attack.