Maybe we were about 15-20 runs short – Faf du Plessis

RCB didn’t really get the start to IPL 2024 that they would have hoped for as they fell to a loss in a closely-contested encounter, with CSK walking away with the bragging rights. However, there were a handful of positives that RCB will certainly want to focus on ahead of their preparations for the next game.

One of the major positives of their season-starter was the early blitz from Faf du Plessis. The RCB skipper looked in great touch as he was dealing in boundaries up front. However, he couldn’t convert his start into a big knock as he departed for a 23-ball 35, after providing an early impetus for the team.

RCB’s total of 173/5 eventually proved little for the visitors as CSK chased it down in 18.4 overs, handing Faf’s team a rude start to the season.

Talking at the post-match presentation, Faf spoke at length about what exactly went down in the contest while also highlighting the possible tipping points that changed the complexion of the game completely.

He started off by shedding some light on the RCB innings, stating, “Always when you play, you get a bit of dip after the six overs. Chennai are a very good team in the middle overs, they squeeze you with their spinners. Maybe we were about 15-20 runs short, the pitch wasn’t as bad as we played in the first 10 overs.”

Faf also highlighted the conditions and the rationale behind opting to bat first, adding, “They were always ahead in the chase, we tried to squeeze and get a couple of wickets, but in the end we didn’t have enough runs. On this pitch, it is always better to bat first. Last year, the record was very skewed towards teams that batted first. The ball started to grip a bit with our spinners.”

He concluded with a word of praise for Anuj Rawat and DK, stating, “Really good for Dinesh to set up his season, especially for someone who hasn’t played a lot of cricket. Anuj has shown some great promise for us, he showed great composure for a young guy and great power through the backend.”