Devdutt masterclass, AB magic, and Yuzi’s craft propel RCB to victory against SRH

There was something different on this night. While our minds told us to give up, the heart said “Hold on, something is different”. There was a familiar sinking feeling. A perfect start with the bat but not the total the team would have desired. Sunrisers seemingly running away with the game. The match on the verge of running away. But, something was different.

RCB decided to hit a complete F5 on their opening pair with two debutants for the team - Devdutt Padikkal and Aaron Finch walking out to bat having been put in by the Sunrisers. Aaron Finch had admitted he was looking forward to batting with Padikkal, and the Bangalore lad’s confidence was a refreshing sight. A 90-run opening stand between a confident-bordering-on-the-cocky at times Devdutt Padikkal balanced well off by the experience of Aaron Finch put together a 90-run opening partnership. Something was definitely different.

AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli set about reconstructing the innings, the openers being dismissed off successive deliveries. Virat’s dismissal hardly slowed the South African superman down. A finish typical of the kind we have come to expect from Mr 360 propelled the team to 163.

Despite a fortunate run-out at the non-striker’s end of the opposition skipper David Warner, SRH got off to a solid start in their pursuit. When Manish Pandey and Bairstow kept the chase ticking, seemingly timing the pursuit to perfection, there was a sinking feeling. But, something was different. 

There was something left in the tank; the team was not going to die without a fight. When the team needed to dig deep, Yuzvendra Chahal put his hand up. A wicket of Manish Pandey lit a glimmer of hope. But, Bairstow was still going strong. A display of nearly flawless batting threatened to put the game to rest. 43 needed off the last 5 overs with 8 wickets in the kitty would more often than mean a walk in the park. But, something was different. 

Yuzvendra Chahal’s last over was probably the last punt left in captain Virat’s deck. And boy, did he deliver. First, a well-flighted delivery which tempted the dangerous Bairstow into a big hit, and went past his bat to peg the stumps. A perfectly-pitched googly off the next sneaked past Vijay Shankar’s defence off the very next ball. RCB were fighting back. Something was different.

A constant criticism of RCB has been the team’s ineptness at the death. But, consecutive overs, with a brace of wickets each, had put RCB firmly ahead. The fact that it was two Indian players that RCB have reinforced their trust in - Shivam Dube and Navdeep Saini - was the cherry on top. There was definitely something different. 

A slower delivery which a hobbling Mitchell Marsh failed to clear captain Virat Kohli at long-on all but put an end to SRH’s hopes. When Sandeep Sharma found Virat Kohli again at long-on the familiar, sinking feeling was replaced by one of euphoria. SRH had slipped from 121/2 to be dismissed for 153. The comeback was complete. There is definitely something different.