RCB’s Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis had already scored 108 runs in their 172-run chase before Jofra Archer began bowling cutters dug in halfway into the pitch at the Chinnaswamy stadium. Archer’s strategy proved relatively successful, allowing him to give away only one boundary, a six, in his final two overs. Tilak Varma, Mumbai’s highest scorer, had noted at the halfway stage that the ball was “holding a bit”, but this did not become a talking point throughout RCB’s clinical chase, as they took the attack to the bowlers early.
Kohli was quick to respond to the change of pace from Archer, hitting a flat six over long off and possibly throwing off MI’s plans early on. MI had been trying to swing the ball back in with their left-arm pacers earlier, but Kohli and Faf were proactive in countering it, flicking behind or going down the pitch. Faf took on Behrendoff, hitting him for a four and a six while the ball was moving in, and then picking up a six after forcing a change of pace.
Shane Bond, MI’s bowling coach, lamented the lack of sustained pressure on RCB during the game. He felt that Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli played beautifully and that his team lacked control. Bond also noted that it was important not to pitch the ball too full to Kohli, who excels in that scenario, while they could have used the yorker more often against du Plessis.
RCB were effective with both bat and ball in the match. Mohammad Siraj’s spell of 3-0-5-1 was particularly impressive, leaving even the opposition in awe. Bond praised Siraj for his excellent opening spell and felt that it set the tone for RCB’s victory.
Although MI was attempting to stage a recovery, they were hindered by Karn Sharma’s strikes, which cost them around twenty runs. This margin could have made all the difference in the game.
The return to the M Chinnaswamy stadium after almost four years went smoothly for RCB. The pitch offered early assistance to the pacers and allowed the slower bowlers to take advantage of the uneven pace. This pitch was suited to RCB’s overall package, but they still had some shortcomings at the death.
Overall, RCB would be pleased with their performance in the opening match of the season and the boxes they had ticked. They aimed to keep these promises in the upcoming games.
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