By Bharath Ramaraj
Royal Challengers Bangalore got back to winning ways with a comfortable 23-run win over the Delhi Capitals, firmly rooted to the foot of the Indian Premier League table. Delhi could only manage 151-9 in pursuit of 175, as they lost their fifth consecutive game in IPL 2023. Here is a list of the major takeaways from the game.
Yet another fifty for Virat Kohli
In four matches this season, Kohli has already notched up three half-centuries and is currently the third-highest run-getter. He started his innings against Delhi in trademark fashion, lofting and crunching one of the fastest bowlers going around – Anrich Nortje – over mid-off and cover-point. He also danced down the deck to Mitchell Marsh and then whipped Mustafizur Rahman over fine leg for a six. However, he once again fell after completing his half-century, lifting one to the deep midwicket fielder off Lalit Yadav.
Bangalore’s batting unit in a quagmire
Although Faf du Plessis and Kohli have been among the runs, the rest of the batting unit hasn’t exactly fired. Glenn Maxwell did score a quick-fire 59 in the last game, but couldn’t convert a promising start into a score of substance against Delhi. Anuj Rawat, batting at No.8, could only score 15 off 22 balls. Harshal Patel’s promotion in the batting order didn’t work, while Dinesh Karthik continues to have problems against wrist spin – Kuldeep Yadav dismissed him in this game.
The spark that inspired Bangalore
After such a slow innings, one might have expected Rawat to be low on confidence. However, to his credit, he showcased his fielding skill with a direct-hit that caught Prithvi Shaw well short of his crease at the bowler’s end. Rawat’s brilliance was also on view as he ran to his right and dived to make a one-handed stop at cover. It was just the spark that Bangalore needed, as the bowlers then ran through the heart of Delhi’s batting unit.
Warner miscues the pull, and Vyshak’s dream debut
Not for the time in this IPL, David Warner ended up mistiming a pull. To make matters worse, he hit it straight to Kohli at midwicket. Until then, on a reasonably good pitch for batting, Warner had looked in good nick, pulling and steering Bangalore’s pace bowlers to the boundary hoardings. Vijaykumar Vyshak, the debutant pace bowler who took his wicket, had an excellent outing. He hit the deck hard and at good enough pace, and finished with the key scalps of Warner and Axar Patel. He also used the knuckleball to remove Lalit. Interesting fact: Vyshak started out his career as a batter before becoming a full-fledged pace bowler.
Did any of Delhi’s batters offer resistance?
Manish Pandey did. The veteran, who plays domestic cricket for Karnataka, essayed a fine 50 off 38 balls at what is essentially his home ground at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. In the 14th over bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga, he put on a fine exhibition of strokeplay by slogging, lofting and whipping the spinner. In the same over, however, Pandey was adjudged LBW. Initially, the loud appeal was turned down, but Bangalore got it overturned via the DRS. On the flip side, Pandey looked surprised by the ball-tracker suggesting that the ball would have crashed into the top of leg-stump. The next highest score was 23 by Nortje, the No.10 batter.