IPL 2019, Match 1, CSK vs RCB: 4 mistakes that cost RCB the opening game
In the opening encounter of the IPL 2019, the defending champions Chennai Super Kings took on the Royal Challengers Bangalore side led by Virat Kohli. CSK skipper Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl on a pitch that was tailor made for spinners. The former India skipper opted to go with three spinners in Tahir, Jadeja and Harbhajan while RCB went with Moeen Ali and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Kohli opted to open with Parthiv Patel and Dhoni straightaway went with Harbhajan Singh from one end. The pitch started misbehaving very early in the innings and soon Kohli got out while trying to muscle the ball over deep square leg. Harbhajan clocked back the years with some majestic off spin bowling and got rid of Moeen Ali and de Villiers.
In the end, RCB were humiliated as they were bowled out for 70 while CSK barely had any trouble chasing down the target. Here are the four mistakes that cost RCB the match against CSK.
#1. Inability to adapt against quality spin bowling
During the initial days of IPL, not many believed that spinners can bowl in the powerplay since almost all the teams had destructive opening batsmen. However, during the 2010 edition of the IPL, CSK broke that trend and relied heavily on spin. The slow Chepauk pitch along with the talented duo of Ashwin and Jakati made life difficult for the top order batsmen of the opposition.
CSK followed the same template in this match as Harbhajan’s disciplined bowling in the powerplay led to the dismissals of Kohli and Moeen Ali. The RCB batsmen showed little interest in reading the ball and lacked the technique and temperament to grind it out on a tough pitch.
On paper, RCB might have the best batting lineup in this tournament, but other than Kohli and de villiers, none of them were experienced enough to counter CSK’s spin trio. The RCB skipper will surely expect more application from his batsmen in the upcoming games.