2 mistakes and 1 masterstroke by RCB in their IPL 2023 match vs KKR

For the second time in IPL 2023, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) failed to get past the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), going down by 21 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday, April 26.

Electing to field first, RCB's bowlers blew hot and cold as KKR posted 200/5 in 20 overs. It was a decent batting track even as the slower deliveries gripped on a pitch that was dry.

In response, the wheels came off the chase, with Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell falling in the powerplay. Virat Kohli, who captained the hosts again, held the innings together with a 37-ball 54 as Mahipal Lomror chipped in with an 18-ball 34. But once their partnership was broken, it all went downhill as KKR held their own to come up trumps.

KKR clinch their second win against RCB in IPL 2023 🙌🏻

📸: IPL/JioCinema

#IPL2023 #RCBvsKKR #CricketTwitter https://t.co/XHJdVijXQh

Here, we dissect two mistakes and one masterstroke made by RCB as they lost their third home game in six IPL 2023 matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

#3 Mistake - Bowling Shahbaz Ahmed in the 6th over

ICYMI!

6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣.6️⃣

When Jason Roy went berserk in the powerplay 🔥🔥

WATCH 🎥🔽 #TATAIPL | #RCBvKKR

iplt20.com/video/48829/6-…

Prior to the match against KKR, Shahbaz Ahmed had bowled just three overs in seven IPL 2023 matches. He hadn't bowled more than a solitary over in any of them.

This, coupled with the presence of a well-set Jason Roy firing on all cylinders, made Kohli's move to toss him the ball for the final over of the powerplay extremely bizarre.

It went pear-shaped as Roy butched him for four sixes to wrest momentum in favor of his side. RCB pulled things back in the middle overs, but it didn't make the decision to bowl Shahbaz in the most difficult powerplay over look any better.

While Mohammed Siraj was an option owing to how well he has performed this season, not bowling his third over was understandable considering that they needed to backload some of his spell.

There were still plenty of other options, though. Bowling the left-arm spinner, perhaps due to the presence of two right-handed batters in the middle, backfired drastically for RCB.

#2 Masterstroke - The usage of Wanindu Hasaranga's overs

Wanindu Hasaranga was at his crafty best against KKR (Picture Credits: BCCI).

Kohli got it right with his strike weapon as he introduced Wanindu Hasaranga in the fifth over to try and break through Roy's defense. The Englishman struggled for large parts of that over before putting one away to the fence in the form of a reverse sweep.

Hasaranga bowled nagging lengths throughout his spell, and an over of his was wisely held back for the destructive Andre Russell. With the Jamaican still not getting a chance to bat, however, Kohli turned to Hasaranga for the 18th over, where he duly delivered a couple of wickets while going for just three runs.

With both Roy and Russell known to find it tougher against spin, Kohli's usage of Hasaranga was spot on.

#1 Mistake - The batting order

Suyash is a top order bat and Shahbaz is a finisher for their state sides right? Why is RCB trying them the other way?

Once again, RCB's batting order came under the scanner. Shahbaz, who has struggled to add impetus against spin, was persisted with at No. 3 once Du Plessis departed in the third over.

Given his prowess against pace in the second half of the innings last year and Dinesh Karthik's waning finishing powers, it would have made sense to hold the southpaw back for that part of the innings. More so with Suyash Prabhudessai being a candidate to take down spin and occupy the spot that would have been held by Rajat Patidar in an ideal scenario.

KKR bowled 13 overs of spin, and while Mahipal Lomror was able to counter them effectively, the others weren't up to the task from RCB's point of view. Oh, and it was yet another day where they could have shored Hasaranga up the order to negate the spinners.

It wasn't to be, though, as they surrendered their third home game of the season.

Can RCB garner momentum on the road after their loss to KKR in IPL 2023? Have your say in the comments section below!