RCB’s road to playoffs - In no way perfect, but 3 in 3 is all that matters

Isn’t it the sweetest of feelings to wake up on a day knowing that RCB will be taking the field in a playoff game after 3 long years? It is an opportunity. An opportunity to start anew, go on with a fresh approach and mindset. The Dream11 IPL title is well within sights. The league phase has had its ups and downs, and as we face Sunrisers in a knockout game tonight, we look back on RCB’s path to this point in a long and arduous season that has culminated with a 4th place finish.

It all started off with a win against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, our opponents for the night. It felt like a fresh new beginning with a lot of promise. The opening stand between Aaron Finch and the new star on the block Devdutt Padikkal set the tone before AB de Villiers finished off the innings perfectly. When it came to defending the total, the RCB bowlers, lead by Yuzvendra Chahal being the key protagonist wreaked havoc and snatched a victory from an improbable position. That game set the tone for the new-look team which would not give up and come back from any position.

That’s the thing about comebacks. It is not restricted to one game. The fighting spirit also needs to reverberate across the season. That was exactly the case over the next few games. First, a loss to Kings XI Punjab by a large margin threatened to puncture any confidence RCB might have gained from the opening night victory. But, the team came back strong, inflicting one of Mumbai’s five losses of the season. That victory had done enough to give the team enough boost to ease past the Rajasthan Royals.

It is quite expected that over the course of a season there will be a few crushing defeats. Another was to follow two consecutive defeats, this time at the hands of the Delhi Capitals. But, just like the defeat to the Kings XI Punjab, there was a reaction, and boy was it a reaction and a half. The Chennai Superkings were up next. Propelled by Captain Kohli’s typically well-structured brilliance - a method in his madness took RCB to 169 before the bowlers shackled a hapless Chennai batting to only 132. A Virat masterclass against CSK was followed by one of AB de Villiers against KKR. The RCB spinners then came out and absolutely decimated the KKR batting to register a massive 82-run win - a victory margin which would come in extremely handy come the end of the league phase.

Just like on the previous two occasions, another defeat was followed by two more victories. The bowling was coming into its own now with the introduction of Chris Morris. A complete team effort topped off with another sensation AB de Villiers finish downed the Rajasthan Royals. That was followed by another drubbing of the Knight Riders. A “magical” spell from Mohammed Siraj blew away KKR’s batting as RCB completed a commanding win over Kolkata. By the end of 10 league games, RCB had registered seven wins.

The biggest encouraging aspect for RCB would be that different players have put their hands up over the course of the season. Devdutt Padikkal has been a sensational story, showing incredible caliber at the age of 20, playing his first season of IPL cricket. There have been moments of brilliance from AB and Virat Kohli too. The bowlers have shown that they can hold their own. Chris Morris has fit into the No.7 slot seamlessly giving the team great balance. Washington Sundar has come into his own this season. Yuzvendra Chahal has bamboozled batsmen as he does time and again. Siraj and Saini have had their moments of brilliance when the team has needed it. Isuru Udana has chipped in bowling crucial overs under pressure. Debutant Shahbaz Ahmed has shown that he can hang with the big boys with a crucial spell against the Delhi Capitals in the final league game.

That’s the thing about comebacks. They can begin at any moment. A small spark is all it needs. RCB may have endured a 4-match losing streak heading into the playoffs, but the team has time and again over the league phase proved that it has the mettle to pick themselves up and go toe-to-toe with anyone. Three in three is all it will take. And RCB have shown that they are well capable of it. History beckons.