IPL 2019 | AB de Villiers believes RCB can still turn things around in the remaining matches
AB de Villiers has stated that the spirit in the RCB team is still high and he hopes that they can easily turn their fortunes around in the remaining matches. The South African has also added that Gary Kirsten’s high spirit is helping them now and they will try to put up good performances at home.
RCB have been the perennial bridesmaid in the IPL and despite promising a lot thanks to the strong core they have accumulated over the years, the team has always faltered and failed to win the tournament, even once. This year, the story has started on a sorrier note as the team from Bangalore is yet to register a win this time and sit at the bottom of the table. However, AB de Villiers stated that the players are high on spirits and can change the fortunes on the go.
"This opinion may sound somehow inadequate but, as we travelled home from Jaipur, I looked around the squad and found it very difficult to believe we have lost our first four matches. We unquestionably have the ability, the desire and the balance to be competitive in this IPL and, with 10 pool matches left, we have time to recover,” de Villers wrote in his column for Times of India.
“At stages, of course, we have underperformed. Against RR, we played 3/10 cricket for too much of the game, allowing our innings to drift fatally in the middle overs; and then, when we tried to defend a relatively low total, we too often released the pressure with fielding errors," de Villiers added.
It might come as good news for the depleted franchise as they are going to play their next two matches at home, against Kolkata Knight Riders tonight and Delhi Capitals two days later. Gary Kirsten is known to be a strict disciplinarian yet a very positive human being, and with all these things coming together, de Villers stated that it is going to be the start of something special for the team in front of their 12th man.
"Such mistakes belie the intensity of our training and preparations. And yet, once the errors are erased, we will start to reap the rewards of practice sessions as tough as yesterday. Head coach Gary Kirsten will keep driving us forward with energy and positivity. The spirits remain high. We still believe.Â
“The immediate challenge is to produce two powerful performances before our own supporters, to bat with real purpose and to bowl with real discipline, to get those red flags waving, to beat both KKR and DC, and start to climb away from the bottom of the table," de Villiers concluded.
