Bengaluru, April 16: They have been beaten. Not once, but five times in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. They need to win all their remaining matches to make the play-offs, which seems bit difficult.
Their key batters, except Virat Kohli has not been consistent. Their bowlers have been the real reason why Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have been languishing at the bottom of the Punts Table in IPL 2024.
On Monday, despite losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, RCB fought back. Scored at rapid pace, though they lost the target by a few runs.
While majority of cricket fans and experts have lost hopes of a RCB comeback in this season's IPL. But RCB head coach Andy Flower after the match on Monday stated they will take positives out of the match and come back stronger in the upcoming game.
Chasing a big target of 288 runs, RCB began the innings on a positive note with captain Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli making an 80-run stand for the first wicket before Dinesh Karthik produced an astonishing innings late in the game only to lose the match by 25 runs.
"I am really proud of the way we fought with the bat out there in the middle. We lost the game but I was really proud of the way we fought," said Andy Flower.
The head coach also recognized that the team will take a lot of confidence from the match after such a wonderful performance with the bat and every game is a knockout game for the team now in order to qualify for the playoffs of the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League.
He remarked, "It was a really tough night in the field of course as they finished so powerfully that it probably took the wind out of our souls. We will have a think and we will come back stronger, It is obviously knockout time and every game is like a semi-final for us."
Dinesh Karthik, who played a brilliant 83 runs inning off just 35 balls with the help of five fours and seven sixes, also received big praise from Andy Flower.
"Dinesh Karthik is really making a push for the World Cup team as well and is only getting better on the field," the head coach concluded.
RCB will play their upcoming match in the IPL at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Can RCB make a strong comeback this season, that time will answer. But RCB head coach's trust in the team is definitely laudable. Off-colour RCB players, can take some inspiration from their head coach's strong belief in the team and bounce back with a killer instinct. (With IANS support)
