Here comes the crunch! Four matches in the next eight days can make or break RCB’s campaign to win the 2020 IPL.
We have made a decent start, winning three of our first five games, but we know we can play better, and be more consistent with bat and ball.
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CSK will be tough opponents today in Dubai. They field a team full of superstars, but we see this match as an opportunity to make a statement. If we can bring everything together and produce a strong all-round performance, we will take momentum and real confidence into this intense series of matches. Consistency is the key.
At times, our batting has been below par. At times, we have not bowled as well as we would wish. And, at times, we have fielded poorly and dropped too many catches. If we are to overcome CSK, and achieve our ambitions in this tournament, we need to find consistency in all areas.
The dew is certainly a factor in the UAE. In some matches, the dew has arrived in the second innings and the ball becomes very wet and slippery. Bowlers struggle to control their length and send down too many full tosses, and fielders can struggle to grasp what may normally be straightforward catches. I can tell you, it’s not easy as it looks on TV. Sometimes it can feel like trying to catch a bar of soap.
When dew seems likely, teams can be tempted to field first. That’s what we did in our most recent match, and it didn’t work out so well because Delhi Capitals were able to score 196, and then the dew didn’t materialise, which meant we were batting under pressure and fell to a 59-run defeat.
It’s not easy, but that’s the IPL. A tough tournament to win, but, by general consent, brilliant to watch. The IPL has now become a model sports event, delivering consistently exciting entertainment in a tournament where anybody can beat anybody. Each of the eight teams look strong. Each team is packed with match-winners.
In this most difficult of years, when so many millions of people in India and around the world are suffering from the effects of the pandemic, the IPL can serve as an important beacon of hope and excitement.
For me, it is a privilege to be involved.
Source: IPLT20.com