Fifteen seasons and no title. And the 16th was also starting to go pear-shaped before things changed on Sunday with a whopping 112-run win over Rajasthan Royals. All of a sudden, the playoffs seem doable, and Royal Challengers Bangalore have their fate in their own hands. They will no longer have to depend on Rajasthan or Kolkata slipping. All they need to do is win their two remaining games. With a Net Run Rate better than others and with Mumbai Indians playing Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday, the two wins would take RCB to the playoffs.
And once there, it could well be that they fulfil something they have been after for 15 years. For, once in the last four, it is just about two good games. Play at your best for the final two games, and all that you have done in the past is history. RCB and Virat Kohli will know it well. They know that Rajasthan have given them an opportunity. A pathetic Rajasthan batting display on Sunday has opened doors, and now RCB can’t mess up.
What does this mean for Kohli? Will he now push himself that extra bit more in the last two games of the IPL? How will Faf du Plessis, who has been incredible as a batter, nudge that little more as skipper to get the best out of his players?
First things first – there are far too many instances in sports where legends have not won a particular tournament or done well at a particular venue. Sachin Tendulkar, for example, did not score a 100 at Lord’s, while Ajit Agarkar has the distinction of doing so. Ivan Lendl never won a Wimbledon title, while Cristiano Ronaldo has not won the World Cup. None of this makes them bad players. What it does is make the quest that much more interesting.
The question of whether he can ever win the IPL will continue to haunt Kohli and his fans. It will push him more till he succeeds. Playing a team sport makes it that much harder for Kohli, but that’s where he needs to come up with plans. How does he control this campaign from here on? Does RCB need a finisher, and are they too dependent on the top three? If Kohli, du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell get out, do they have much batting to be hopeful about? Have Mahipal Lomror or Anuj Rawat finally fulfilled expectations? And if not, why not?
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While Rawat was very impressive at the end of the innings, the middle order hasn’t yielded much for the Royal Challengers all season. At no point in the tournament have they looked comfortable, and that has cost them dear.
What RCB did yesterday, after two bad games, was bowl much better. With Mohammed Siraj starting to look good consistently, and Wayne Parnell finding his groove, they seem to have enough resources to match teams at the business end. And that’s what streamlines things for du Plessis, Kohli and Mike Hesson. Should they go for Rawat in the middle order now that he has done well for them? Can Lomror be an option at No.4?
What is more important, however, is for du Plessis and Hesson to identify how and what they need to do in case the top three don’t fire? That they have been in good form is beyond doubt. At the same time, it is human to have a slip-up and right now, RCB can’t afford it. Fifteen seasons and no title is proof that the team does lack something. It is now the job of the captain and coach to ensure that the opportunity that has all of a sudden presented itself is not wasted.
More than once, RCB have started well. Year on year, that’s what has kept the fans hopeful. But now, after two forgettable games, they seem to have found their mojo. A perfect home stretch could mean RCB do finally get to that elusive finish line. If you are a fan, there is every reason to hope. Now more than ever.
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