Chennai Super Kings (CSK) defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by six wickets in the opening IPL 2024 match at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday, March 22.
Batting first, RCB scored a tidy total of 173/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Wicketkeeper-batters Dinesh Karthik and Anuj Rawat scored late runs to secure the victory.
CSK, on the other hand, were able to chase down those runs with relative ease in just 18.4 over. None of their hitters scored 50 runs, yet everyone contributed just enough to the team’s cause.
In this piece, we discuss three early worries for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru following their loss on Friday.
1. Rajat Patidar’s form
Amidst a challenging phase Rajat Patidar the Indian batsman faces a significant setback as his dismal performance forces him out of the national squad in the fivegame Test series against England.
He also failed to score in the encounter against CSK on Friday. Patidar is a player that serves as an anchor for the other batters to play off of.
The Madhya Pradesh hitter enjoys rotating strikes and aiming for the big one when the opportunity arises. He will be concerned by his lack of consistency in recent times.
2. RCB seamers’ economy rate
None of the RCB bowlers could keep their economy rate below nine per over this last Friday and thats seriously worrying. Seamers Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal and Alzarri Joseph bore the brunt of it recording rates of 9.50 9.30 and 10.40 respectively.
RCB needs to swiftly address this matter to stage a comeback in the tournament and secure their opening two points of the season against Punjab Kings on Monday.
Their seamers need to be more precise with their lengths. If they fail to do so, the same tale will be told all season.
3. Virat Kohli’s strike rate
Virat Kohli the dynamic star batter of Star India showcased his unparalleled prowess by accumulating 21 runs off just 20 balls in the recent match against CSK solidifying his stature as a supreme force in the cricketing world.
Virat Kohli, who opened the batting alongside skipper Faf du Plessis, was expected to take the attack to the opposition and force them to bowl loosely. Kohli struggled to get going on a slow Chepauk track, but the CSK hitters demonstrated how to play on it later in the day.
Kohli’s poor scoring rate may upset team management, but they are confident that he will immediately change his path.
