Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis attributed the team’s tough defeat in their opening match of IPL 2024 to top-order batting faults. The match against Chennai Super Kings saw RCB falter after a promising start, leading to a 6-wicket loss against CSK.
The toss favored RCB, who chose to bat first but Mustafizur Rahman’s early double strike dented their top order. Despite the setback, RCB managed to put up a modest total of 173 runs, thanks to a resilient 95-run partnership between Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik.
Faf du Plessis expressed disappointment at the loss of wickets in the crucial initial overs, which he believed set them back for the rest of the match. He identified the need for stability after early blows and stated that RCB fell short by 15 to 20 runs on the challenging Chennai pitch.
Even with contributions from Cameron Green and Virat Kohli, RCB struggled after their dismissals. Though Rawat and Karthik’s partnership injected hope, Faf admitted the total was never going to be sufficient against a strong opponent like CSK.
In the second innings, RCB’s attempt to make a comeback with a barrage of short-pitched deliveries against CSK’s middle-order batsman, Shivam Dube, fell short. Faf acknowledged that their tactics did not work as planned on the dry Chennai track, resulting in their defeat.
Looking ahead, RCB gears up to face Punjab Kings at their home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, on March 25. Faf and the team hope to bounce back from their opening match loss and put up a stronger performance in the upcoming game.
