RCB ace the chase to go top of the Dream 11 IPL table

Clinical. If there was one word to describe RCB’s win against the Rajasthan Royals, that would be it. After the previous game, RCB head coach Simon Katich called for more ruthlessness from the team. The team certainly responded. RCB had not beaten the Royals since their re-entry into the Dream 11 IPL, but on a Saturday evening, the record was about to change.

If ruthlessness was the objective for the game, there could have been no one better than Skipper Virat Kohli to be in charge of the mission. When he walked in after the dismissal of Aaron Finch, the game could have gone either way with 130 still needed on a pitch which appeared slow and low. Devdutt Padikkal could not have asked for a better mentor in that situation. The duo was calm and collected in their pursuit. There did not appear to be a single shot played without necessity, not a single moment of panic.

Padikkal looked his elegant self, a flick for six off Jaydev Unadkat’s first ball a reflection of his confidence at the moment. Kohli may have looked scratchy initially, but the lowish target meant he could bide his time back into form. Devdutt’s strike rate allowed Kohli to take his time and settle into the innings. The 99-run partnership all but batted the Royals in pink out of the game.

The run-chase was made possible earlier in the day with the bowlers strangling the Rajasthan Royals’ innings. Going into the game, the Rajasthan top 3 would have been at the top of RCB’s list of concerns. Within 25 balls, all the three threats had been neutralized. Isuru Udana started the Royals’ downfall with Isuru Udana getting Steve Smith to play on. A maiden-wicket by Navdeep Saini, knocking over the dangerous Jos Buttler brought relief. Yuzvendra Chahal picked up the in-form Sanju Samson off his first ball on the day. 

The Royals had no option but to take their time and rebuild. Despite an admirable effort from the southpaw Mahipal Lomror, and later down the order by Rahul Tewatia and Jofra Archer, RCB would have been confident of chasing down 155. Washington Sundar was tight as ever with his line and length, conceding only 20 runs off his quota of overs. But, as is becoming the norm, Chahal was RCB’s bowler of the day, picking up 3 wickets - 3 wickets which landed him the purple cap.

There could have been nothing more fitting than AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli finishing off a nerveless run-chase, condemning the Rajasthan Royals to their second straight defeat. The top of the points table will make a pretty viewing for RCB, a sight which has evaded the team for 9 years, even if only for a few hours.