RCB skipper Fab du Plessis’ confession
Cricket is tough when your confidence is down, says the batter after fifth consecutive loss
After slumping to the fifth defeat on the trot in the IPL 2024 season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis admitted that the team's confidence has taken a hit after a string of losses and remarked, Cricket is tough when the team's confidence is low.
On Monday night, RCB suffered their sixth defeat in seven games after losing to SRH, who managed a record for the highest total in IPL history with 287/3, beating their record of 277 set against the Mumbai Indians (MI) earlier in the season.
RCB entered the match without a single specialist spinner and with Mohammad Siraj on the bench, their bowling line up looked inexperienced. They went for the off-spin of Will Jacks, who was taken for 32 in his three overs. Pace bowlers Reece Topley, Yash Dayal, Lockie Ferguson, and Vijaykumar Vyshak were belted for 137 off ten overs.
"Credit to us for hanging in there and trying to get closer towards the end. We tried a few things behind closed doors. It's a sign of confidence in the group and in the bowling department. The game of cricket is tough when your confidence is down, there is nowhere to hide in the game. When you are not on top of your game it is difficult and you got nowhere to hide.
"Obviously with five
I think we will have to keep trying different things, maybe bring in a bit of leg spin to try and get some wickets in the middle overs," – Faf du Plessis, RCB
bowlers even tough on a wicket like that. I think we will have to keep trying different things, maybe bring in a bit of leg spin to try and get some wickets in the middle overs," Du Plessis told broadcasters after the match.
Chasing a mammoth total of 287, Du Plessis (62 off 28) and Virat Kohli (42 off 20) set the tone for the RCB chase. Then came a vintage performance by Dinesh Karthik, who single-handedly kept the hosts in play with 35-ball 83, as RCB finished with 262.
Despite the loss, du Plessis was pleased with the efforts of the batting unit and said, "Similarly from the batting perspective, we need to work on a few areas”.