On this day in 2017: RCB register their first win of the season
The Royal Challengers Bangalore were up against Delhi Daredevils in their first home game for the 2017 season. Both Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers were unavailable for the game, which would’ve made Delhi breathe easier even before a ball was bowled. Injuries forced a rare change in captaincy, with Shane Watson taking over the mantle temporarily. Surprisingly, RCB decided to bat first, given the brutal nature of the track towards bowlers and the ease of chasing at the Chinnaswamy. Perhaps the decision was justified given the concern about the strength of the batting sans Virat and De Villiers.
The onus was on the opening pair of Gayle and Watson to get the team off to a good start. Gayle did not fire. Mandeep Singh promoted to no.3 in the absence of Virat fell soon. Watson with a run-a-ball innings of 24 did not add much to the run rate either. When the top 3 had all been dismissed, RCB were wobbling at 55 in the 9th over of the innings. RCB had one more trump card left though, in the form of Kedar Jadhav. Jadhav counter-attacked with intelligence and belligerence. His aggressive approach put Delhi on the backfoot. He, along with Stuart Binny put on an invaluable 66-run partnership for the 4th wicket. The partnership was even more impressive considering it came at a rate of nearly 10-an-over when the innings seemed to be falling apart.
With 20 balls remaining, the score on 142, and Jadhav still batting, RCB appeared on course for a score of around 180. However, the game turned again when the veteran Zaheer Khan foxed Jadhav with a slower yorker, which the latter only managed to toe-end to mid-off. The innings lost all its pace and fizzled out towards the end. Kedar Jadhav’s 37-ball 69 had given RCB something to bowl at, but a 158 run target would’ve been something the Daredevils would’ve taken gleefully at the beginning of the day.
Jadhav's 37-ball 69 guided RCB to a score of 157
RCB needed wickets early if they were to harbor any hopes of upstaging the Daredevils from up North. The first bit of success came in the form of Aditya Tare who was beaten for pace by the record signing, Tymal Mills, in the 5th over of the innings. However, the real surprise package for RCB was the tall, lanky fast bowler from Australia who was signed at his base price of 30 Lakhs, Billy Stanlake. The Aussie quick hurried the Daredevils batsmen and eventually got his reward when an outswinger went past Karun Nair’s outside edge and castled his off peg. Delhi kept losing wickets throughout the innings. With Sam Billings and Sanju Samson sent back, RCB seemed well on top.
The game was not over yet, especially as long as Rishabh Pant was still at the crease. The Delhi wicket-keeper motored on, despite all of the Delhi middle-order falling for single-digit scores. Pant kept swatting the ball away in his inimitable, fearless fashion. A game which at one stage seemed out of Delhi's hands had suddenly came well within grasp, thanks to Pant’s exploits. With two overs to go, Delhi needed 21 off the last two overs, a score very much achievable. Shane Watson stood up with all his Aussie grit and delivered the perfect 19th over. A 6-ball spell consisting of a mixture of yorkers and slower deliveries had resulted in a stupendously good returns of only 2 runs. With 19 required off the last, Watson’s job wasn’t done. The spotlight now fell on his captaincy to choose who bowled the last over. The frontline bowlers in Mills, Stanlake, and Chahal had run down their quota, and Watson had to choose between Iqbal Abdulla, who had been smacked around, and Pawan Negi who had not bowled a single over.
Watson’s choice of Negi was vindicated as he bowled Delhi’s sole hope, Rishabh Pant off the very first ball of the final over. The game now was in RCB’s pocket. The remaining 5 balls went for just 3 runs and Bangalore had their first win on the board. The last two overs had gone only for 5 runs. A low total of 157 had been successfully defended on a track considered a bowler’s Elm street.
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