Despite taking part in the Indian Premier League since its inception in 2008, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are yet to fill the trophy cabinet. They came very close to the title thrice, only to lose at the last hurdle every time. This season, they are languishing at the bottom of the table with a solitary win out of eight matches. That one victory came a little more than four weeks ago.
To make matters worse, RCB lost their previous game to Kolkata Knight Riders by a single run. Despite all the heartbreaks and losses, it doesn’t seem to deter an RCB fan from supporting the franchise. To get an inkling of the fanfare surrounding this side, just take a glimpse of the kind of crowds which throng the Chinnaswamy Stadium before their home games. Such is the excitement and fervour that on occasions, it becomes tough to walk through the roads leading up to the stadium.
In sharp contrast, Sunrisers Hyderabad, their next opponent, are on an upward curve with 10 points to their name. They are currently positioned third on the table. Pat Cummins, who has already captained Australia to World Cup and World Test Championship titles, has led the SRH side admirably. After struggling for three consecutive seasons, where they finished 8th, 8th and 10th, their fans have a lot to cheer about.
It is SRH’s batting unit that has given sleepless nights to all other franchises. Both Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have a strike rate of more than 200 this season. Heinrich Klaasen has accumulated 268 runs at a strike rate of a tad under 200. Such is the depth of SRH’s line-up that Aiden Markram’s strike rate of 135.59 pales in comparison.
Just to exemplify the point further, SRH have crossed the 250-run mark thrice, which includes the record total of 287 for 3 against the hapless RCB side. So, can RCB execute their plans and stop the SRH batting machine from notching up yet another massive score in Hyderabad? On paper, it doesn’t seem likely. To give further credence to that point, Yash Dayal, RCB’s top wicket-taker, is 28th in the bowling charts.
In comparative terms, SRH’s bowling may lack a bit of bite. But Cummins, T Natarajan and Mayank Markande have chipped in with crucial wickets at various stages of the IPL. The form book says SRH have the clear upper hand. But as witnessed in RCB’s last game at Eden Gardens, on a given day, even the last-ranked side might come close to sealing a victory.
From here on, RCB’s chances of qualifying for the playoffs are minimal. However, by winning a few games, Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli & Co. would at least bring a bit of joy to millions of loyal fans back home.
EXCLUSIVE🚨
Celebrating the #MasterBlaster‘s 51st Birthday! Every year 24th April is a national celebration of Greatness.
Listen from the Master himself, his various experiences on and off the pitch from his glorious sporting career of over two decades.
Happy Birthday… pic.twitter.com/znJSFgVdPE
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) April 24, 2024