After a frenetic start with the bat by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) seemed poised to keep the opposition down to a chaseable total in their home game. However, their faltering campaign on home turf continued as they veered off course once again, failing to adapt to the pitch conditions and ultimately ending in a tumble.
Initial Promise on a Tricky Pitch
The pitch at Chinnaswamy Stadium was a little sticky, and when RCB bowlers like Yash Dayal and Glenn Maxwell got the ball to stop on the surface, it seemed like they were finally finding a way to make their presence felt on what has traditionally been a difficult ground to bowl in. For about five overs, after the initial burst where Quinton de Kock cashed in, RCB had shifted lanes to the safer track where they could lead the pace of play.
Losing Control and Adapting Poorly
Just as RCB were setting in to cruise mode, they veered off the track once again. Cameron Green’s over contained everything RCB wouldn’t want from their bowlers on this pitch, with overpitching and full tosses. It didn’t help that the LSG batters were adapting better to the surface than RCB’s bowlers could. De Kock and Nicholas Pooran capitalized on RCB’s errors, with Pooran punishing the wide yorkers.
LSG’s Tactical Superiority
In contrast, LSG guarded against erring on the fuller side, as revealed by KL Rahul: “The chat was very simple – there’s a bit help in the wicket, try and use the wicket, not go to the yorkers really quickly.” Rahul also highlighted the importance of staying calm and trusting the wicket at Chinnaswamy Stadium. Alongside, Mayank Yadav’s pace and lengths dealt body blows to RCB in the chase.
Reevaluating Strategies and Execution
LSG’s ability to outdo RCB on their own turf should augur well for the visitors, who have now secured two wins on the bounce. For RCB, it leaves them reevaluating their strategies and execution at critical junctures on their home turf as they try to get their faltering campaign back on track.
