IPL 2020 | Dropped chances incessantly hurting RCB, admits Virat Kohli

After having encountered their best start to an IPL season in years, winning 3 of their first 4 games, a confident Royal Challengers Bangalore opted to bowl first versus an equally-able Delhi Capitals side but the move backfired instantly as a rampant Prithvi Shaw blazed through the Bangalore bowlers in a hurry. Eventually, Kohli’s men were able to get rid of the youngster, but they were, however, crushed by a charge from Marcus Stoinis, who buried the RCB bowlers alive with a bludgeoning 26-ball 53. Stoinis’ onslaught propelled DC’s score to 196 and there was a growing feeling that the Reds had conceded 25 runs too many.

While RCB’s death bowling was bad, as usual, what haunted them was a dismal fielding effort, which was epitomized by Yuzvendra Chahal putting down a sitter to hand Stoinis a life. Chahal’s spill was RCB’s gazillionth dropped chance of the season and speaking post-match, skipper Kohli admitted that the poor fielding efforts are hurting his side big time. The RCB skipper admitted that his men did not put out a complete performance today, on all three fronts.

“I think they got off to a great start in the first six then we pulled it back in the next 8 overs and the last phase again got away from us. Those important chances in between we need to grab when the opportunity comes our way, it is not like we are dropping half chances, we are dropping sitters and those things hurt you. The execution with the ball towards the end could have been better and with the bat as well. Not a complete performance in any regard today,” Kohli said post-match.

Navdeep Saini going the distance meant that the RCB pacers were under-fire, and, as has been the case many a time in the past, the seamers leaked plenty of runs at the death, conceding 62 runs off the last five. The return of Mr.10 crore Chris Morris will undoubtedly bolster the line-up and Kohli revealed that the Proteas star will all but make his debut in their next fixture. The 31-year-old admitted that come their next game, RCB will have to rectify the minute errors.

“We got into the game after the first six and then Stoinis batted really well in the end, we gave him a life, he took the game away from us. Chris was really close to playing today as well but couldn't make it. We have four days to the next game, once he comes back into the squad it is a different balance altogether. The good thing is we have won three out of five, we have lost two where we haven't played good cricket, so I think it is about rectifying those small mistakes.”