While the brilliance of Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Will Jacks has rightly earned plaudits for leading Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) valiant fightback in IPL 2024, the contributions of the team’s bowlers in this remarkable turnaround deserve equal recognition.
After a disastrous first half of the season, where RCB endured a humiliating 7 losses in their opening 8 matches, the team’s bowlers, particularly Mohammed Siraj, were subjected to severe criticism for their underwhelming performances. However, they have responded with immense courage and resilience, turning their fortunes around dramatically.
RCB’s remarkable transformation has been evident in their bowling statistics. In their last five matches, they have captured an impressive 41 opposition wickets – the highest tally among all teams during this period. Their bowling average of 20.5 and strike rate of 14 place them among the top two in the tournament. Furthermore, their economy rate has plummeted from a dismal 10.8 in the first eight matches to a commendable 8.8 in the last five, making them the second-best team in this regard after Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
The RCB bowlers are now conceding boundaries at a much slower rate, with only one boundary being hit every 5.1 deliveries compared to 4.1 before. This improved discipline has been particularly noticeable in the powerplay, where they have emerged as the most potent bowling unit in the competition during the last five matches. RCB has claimed 14 wickets in the powerplay, the highest tally among all teams in this phase. Their economy rate of 8.5 during this period is also among the most impressive, trailing only Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and CSK.
Swapnil Singh has been the leading wicket-taker for RCB in the powerplay, but Yash Dayal has been equally impressive, conceding a mere 7 runs per over in the last five innings. In the death overs, Siraj has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis, leading the team with an outstanding economy rate of 7.3. He has conceded only 51 runs in 7 overs during this phase, effectively compensating for his lack of wickets in the powerplay by strangling the flow of runs in the crucial final overs.
RCB’s next challenge will be a blockbuster clash against their arch-rivals CSK on Saturday, which could potentially determine their playoff fate. If they emerge victorious, it will be a testament to the incredible turnaround orchestrated by the RCB bowlers. Their contributions have been instrumental in the team’s revival, and they deserve immense credit for their resilience and determination.
