Ahmedabad, May 1 Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik said losing wickets at regular intervals despite a dominating start from opener Virat Kohli hurt the team's chances as they went down by four wickets to Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
RCB were bowled out for 155 in 19.2 overs after being put in to bat, a total that Gujarat Titans chased down comfortably in 15.5 overs, finishing at 158/6 with 25 balls to spare.
Karthik lauded Virat Kohli’s aggressive start but admitted that regular wickets derailed the innings. “I thought Virat started wonderfully, vintage Virat. The kind of shots he played, especially in the Rabada over, were outstanding. But we lost wickets in a cluster and kept doing it. Every time we had an opportunity to get ahead or build a partnership, we lost a wicket, and that never helps in a T20 game,” Karthik said in a video released by RCB on X.
Kohli struck a quick 28 off 13 balls, while Devdutt Padikkal top-scored with 40, but the middle-order collapse ensured RCB could only manage a below-par total.
“It eventually caught up with us, and we ended up with a below-par score,” Karthik added.
Despite the defeat, Karthik praised the team’s attitude in the field as they attempted to defend the total. “What was commendable was the attitude and the way the bowlers came together. Like a champion team would, we gave them jitters through the middle. If a couple of things had gone our way, it could have been different, but I’m very proud of the effort,” he said.
RCB director of cricket Mo Bobat echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the bowling unit’s effort in making the Gujarat Titans work hard for the chase.
“The pleasing and encouraging thing is obviously the bowlers. They put in a good shift again today. It was good to see Romario find a bit of rhythm, too,” Bobat said.
“You’re not going to win every game, but when you come out second best, you’ve got to make the opposition really fight for their win, and I think we did that today,” he noted.
Gujarat Titans’ chase was powered by captain Shubman Gill, who smashed 43 off just 18 balls, while Jos Buttler (39) and Rahul Tewatia (27 not out) ensured there were no major hiccups.
Looking ahead, Bobat called for improvement as the team prepares for its next fixture. “We need to lick our wounds, we’ve got a few days off, and we need to come back a little bit sharper. We head to Lucknow now, another important game, and hopefully we can adapt quickly and put in a better performance to get more points on the board,” he added.
Despite the loss, RCB still remains at number two in the points table with 12 points in nine matches. They will next face Lucknow Super Giants on May 7.
--IANS
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