'We will do our best to put a smile on fans 'faces,' says Karthik ahead of MI clash

Raipur, May 10 Batting coach Dinesh Karthik has backed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to bounce back strongly against Mumbai Indians (MI), saying the team remains confident in its processes despite suffering two consecutive defeats in the tournament and will do its best to bring smiles to the fans' faces.

RCB will be playing their first match at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium on Sunday; however, despite a new ground, Karthik said the team atmosphere remains positive and focused on adapting better to challenging situations.

“For a long time we have been playing in Chinnaswamy, and now we have come to a new city which we embrace as our own in Raipur,” Karthik said in a video released by RCB on X.

“So far, the messaging has been very straightforward. We are very confident with what we are doing as a process, and in this tournament, there is always an odd hiccup. It's important that you deal with it in a positive way,” he added.

RCB head into the high-profile encounter looking to recover from back-to-back losses, with questions being raised over the team’s consistency in pressure moments. However, Karthik stressed that both the batters and bowlers have responded well to the team management’s approach.

“As we have discussed so far with the batters and the bowlers, the messaging has been simple, they are very understanding, and they understand sometimes tough situations you need to assess and adapt, which they have done quite nicely,” he said.

The former India wicketkeeper-batter also acknowledged the unwavering support of RCB fans and promised an entertaining performance against MI.

“As always, I know how passionate RCB fans are. 12th man army, I am sure you are going to bring all the love and support you have got, and it's going to be a great evening,” Karthik said.

“And we will do our best to put a smile on your face and play a brand of cricket that you love watching,” he added.

Despite back-to-back losses, RCB are currently placed in third place on the points table, thanks to a superior net run rate. However, another slip-up could put their top-four position under threat as other teams are performing well.

On the other side, the five-time champions Mumbai Indians come into the game with renewed confidence after securing their third win of the season. They defeated Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets in a high-scoring encounter. They are currently placed in ninth position with six points in ten matches, and it will be a do-or-die game for the team, as if they lose against RCB, then they will become the first team to get eliminated.

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