NO PLAYOFFS FOR RCB

RCB is one of the most competitive teams in the IPL. Yet, they haven't bagged a single IPL trophy. Year after year, the expectations from the fans increase, but the team once again falls short of crossing the finish line. Time and again, I find myself disappointed at the end of the tournament. With big guns like Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell in the lineup, they still fall short. Let’s take a look at what went wrong for RCB in the 16th edition of the IPL.

Over Dependence on the Big Players

This time, only four players were carrying the team throughout the tournament: Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, and Mohammed Siraj. No one else stood up. Everybody else failed to deliver across the tournament. There was no real support for the core players, and when you are competing at such a high level, you need to perform as a unit rather than depending on individuals.

 Lack of Finshing Role

The top order of RCB performed brilliantly in almost every game. They were consistent and gave their all. However, the players assigned the role of finishers absolutely failed to deliver. They couldn’t even manage to score 50 runs in the last 5 overs at their home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium ,a pitch known for being batting-friendly. Finishing is one of the most crucial roles in T20 cricket, and RCB's finishers did not do justice to their responsibilities.

 Failure of Bowling Department 

It was yet another disappointing season for the RCB bowlers. They were ineffective and couldn’t defend scores above 210. Especially during the death overs, they were easily taken apart. Mohammed Siraj was the lone warrior in the bowling unit, consistently delivering quality performances. Other than him, the bowling department was a complete failure.

If we look at the history of RCB, it was yet another season of disappointment. RCB couldn’t make it to the playoffs. But this outcome was quite visible throughout the tournament, as they were overly dependent on their senior members.

It’s hard to say that RCB has been a team that has truly developed over the years.

In the past, legends like AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, and Virat Kohli gave their all. Now, it’s Faf du Plessis, Kohli, and Glenn Maxwell carrying the team on their shoulders. These individual players are putting everything on the line, but the results just aren’t going in their favor.

Specifically this season, Faf du Plessis has been phenomenal — scoring consistently in every game. He currently holds the Orange Cap with 730 runs to his name. Virat Kohli, too, stepped up when it mattered most, scoring two centuries in the final two games. But the rest of the team simply didn’t perform, and once again, RCB fell short.

-TUSHAR JAIN