It’s another story that RCB didn’t even make the playoffs, but their overseas combination wasn’t one of those reasons. This time around, with the playoffs already starting to look further and further away, their struggles have also had a knock-on effect on the fragile middle order.
Rajat Patidar, who had a lot of success at No. 3, had to float around the batting order while chasing runs himself. Anuj Rawat found himself in one match, in the next, while Mahipal Lomror inexplicably found himself on the bench against Rajasthan Royals despite an unbeaten 17 from eight balls in their only victory (against Punjab Kings) and a smashing of 33 for 13 against Lucknow Super. Giants while all their other hitters were tied.
Dinesh Karthik has also not been used enough in the role he was designated for since he rewrote his model to become a finisher in 2018. Against the Royals, RCB strangely held back Karthik, instead promoting the rookie debutant Saurav Chauhan after Maxwell was dismissed in the 15th over at 128 for 2. They managed 183 for 3, but there was this lingering feeling that they hadn’t used their resources well enough.
“I think beating Virat for quite a while, we found the wicket to be tricky and low,” du Plessis said. “In our heads, we thought 190 would be a good score. I felt last on or two, we could have maximized 10-15 more runs. In the evening, we saw with the dew, it played much better. I meaning now in Looking back, we should have pushed a little harder to reach the 190-195 mark.”
“We have problems with our hitters,” he said. “You’re being generous when you say we’re in the early days (of the competition). We’re only one game in five games, it’s not a position any team wants to be in. We have Virat in superb form but the other guys are struggling a bit for form and confidence.
“We try to do everything we can to make them feel strong and confident. As you have seen in this competition, the scores and the aggression only go one way, we need that confidence and of this aggressiveness to put the opposition under pressure and we have not found this form yet.”
Kohli highlighted the difficulties in dealing with spin, with the lack of pace and bounce leaving him with few options except to hit straight. And then you saw Sanju Samson play some of the most aesthetic shots against spin, using his feet and lifting effortlessly, crouching low and sweeping the arc between deep square and deep mid-wicket over his 148- which changed the match. manage a partnership with Jos Buttler.
Of course, there is a world of difference between the two spinning attacks. Where the Royals had Chahal and Ashwin, RCB had to make do with Himanshu Sharma and Mayank Dagar. Basically, spin is undoubtedly a problem area, and has the potential to leave them in a pickle even when encountering slightly tired decks as the season goes on. This is sure to put even more pressure on a misfiring batting lineup.
“Of course we discuss strike rate and aggression, it is part of the understanding of the T20 game that the level of aggression has to be above a certain threshold and you always want to put the opposition under pressure,” Flower explained. “Certainly taking the aggressive option, certainly on grounds like today.
“The fact is that at the moment our top five are not in sparkling form apart from Virat and that is a tough place to be. It is not for lack of effort. They are working hard. They are giving everything they have, but not right now, if we want to turn the tide we need them to pull.”
Is there any work around?
In his second most recent T20 innings in February, Jacks launched an unbeaten 53-ball 108 to help Comilla Victorians post 239. He is batting at 146 in the middle overs. It also plays some decent rounds to boot.
“RCB need to seriously consider Will Jacks,” said Tom Moody on ESPNcricinfo’s “T20: Time-Out”. “How they fit it in is a discussion that needs to happen. I can’t see it coming for Faf. To me, Maxwell and Green are both under pressure.
“I think your hand is forced. You can’t have a potential resource on your team and not pull the trigger, especially when you’re in the position you’re in now. If you don’t do it now, When will you do it?”
This move could require RCB to move on from either Maxwell or Green, a position they would never have considered in the first place. But in desperate times, RCB may simply be forced to take desperate measures or run the risk of calling on their calculator to bring them flawlessly back to life in this era, season after season.
Shashank Kishore is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
