After embarrassment, De Villiers’ pep talk for a U-turn
AB de Villiers has sent out a strong message to his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammates following their humiliating loss to Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 match on Sunday.
As RCB gear up to face defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad later on Tuesday evening, the former South Africa skipper said it is difficult to express in words the embarrassing loss to Kolkata Knight Riders.
Skipper Virat Kohli himself went for a first-ball duck and AB de Villiers managed just eight runs in five balls. It happened to be the lowest team total in Indian Premier League’s 10-year history. “It’s difficult to find words after that embarrassing performance at Kolkata last night,” De Villiers said in the video.
“But the fact of the matter is it’s done and dusted, it’s something of the past and there’s nothing we can do now to change that performance” he added.
After his whirlwind knock on Saturday, Dhoni again found the going tough, eating up 10 balls for his seven runs on Monday against Mumbai Indians on the slow Wankhede Stadium pitch. “Here (in India), we start criticising if someone has one or two bad matches. He (Dhoni) is a quality player and we all know what he has done for India and the IPL. It is an important game, and rather than thinking what he can do, I think what KKR will do is all that matters,” added Gambhir, who played crucial knocks under Dhoni’s captaincy in the finals of the
2007 World Twenty20 and the
2011 World Cup.
The Royal Challengers batting star then went on to stress that all team members needed to focus on two main objectives if they wanted to comeback in the tournament. “Each and every player has to look at themselves in the mirror and find a way to become better for the rest of the tournament, find a way to up his game,” he said.
Royal Challengers Bangalore are currently at the bottom of the IPL standings with just two wins in seven matches.
“There are seven games left for the rest of the tournament and every single game is an opportunity, to find a spot and to get the momentum running. Tomorrow (Tuesday)isanotheropportunity against the Sunrisers. We need to find a way to let that spark,” he said. “I know we can do it and I truly believe in my heart we’ve what It takes to turn it around again, I hope you believe it too,” the batsman added.RCB were in a similar situation at halfway stage last year from where they made a turnaround to win six of the remaining seven games to eventually finish runners-up.
Each and every player has to look at themselves in the mirror and find a way to become better for the rest of the tournament, find a way to up his game. There are seven games left for the rest of the tournament and every single game is an opportunity, to find a spot and to get the momentum running.