Finally, after what seems to be an eternity, RCB picked up a win in IPL 2024 – their second victory in nine games. It took Bengaluru one month exactly to clock their 2nd win of the tournament, slightly brightening their chances of not getting knocked out of the league prematurely. Even though it was a victory to relish for Faf du Plessis and co, there are certain loopholes that one just can’t ignore.
For starters, the chatter is primarily centered around Virat Kohli’s strike rate. The next obvious topic of discussion is RCB’s bowling line-up and whether they got lucky against SRH in Hyderabad or if the side’s bowlers have finally woken up from the slumber. On the bright side for SRH, their skipper Pat Cummins proved his worth with an all-round performance with bat and ball. The only other highlight worth talking about when it comes to SRH is Abhishek Sharma. On that note, let’s take a look at some of the eyeball grabbing headlines from Thursday that you may have missed.
No Kohli, not again!
Virat Kohli may have mustered a fifty against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Thursday, but his knock wasn’t without its inconsistencies. A clear difference in approach and his strike rate was evident between his batting during the powerplay and after the fielding restrictions were relaxed.
Patidar blitzkrieg
RCB’s batting innings needed a spark, and Rajat Patidar was the man to provide it. The aggressive 30-year-old batsman came out swinging, hammering a blistering 19-ball fifty. This phenomenal knock stands as the joint-second-fastest fifty ever scored by a batsman for RCB in the IPL.
When will Dhawan return?
PBKS star Shikhar Dhawan is expected to return to action on May 1 when the side takes on CSK. Dhawan has been on the sidelines over the last few games, having picked up an injury earlier in IPL 2024. PBKS bowling coach Sunil Joshi reveals that Dhawan’s recovery is on track and that he is likely to make his comeback on May 1 while he will miss the clash against KKR.
Afghan star replaces Marsh in DC
Delhi Capitals have announced the replacement for Mitchell Marsh, who has flown back to Australia to nurse an injury. Afghanistan Gulbadin Naib has been named the all-rounder’s replacement. Naib signs in for his reserve price of INR 50 lakhs.
All-rounder Pat Cummins proves his worth
SRH skipper Pat Cummins showed the world yet again why he was one of the best all-rounders. Despite taking only one wicket and conceding 55 runs in his four over spell, Cummins made it up with a handy knock. The SRH skipper scored 31 runs off just 15 deliveries, putting RCB under immense pressure as they chased their second win. Although Bengaluru won the battle, Cummins indeed put on a show that cold very well serve as a warning for other teams.
The birth of a new star Swapnil Singh
All-rounder Swapnil Singh proved to be a valuable asset for RCB in his debut match. While his contribution with the bat was a quickfire 12 runs off just 6 balls, it was his bowling that truly stole the show. In the second innings, he dismissed the dangerous Aiden Markram early on, putting RCB in a strong position.
