IPL 6: RCB v/s RR - Flops of the Match
The Rajasthan Royals rolled over and let their hosts walk all over them to surrender the initiative in the race for top spot, letting RCB get there instead. A lower order collapse in the first innings saw the Royals post a meek total of 117, and it was never one which could be defended against the batting might of the Bangaloreans. Getting there with seven wickets in hand, Bangalore re-added the Purple cap to their ranks, and now again hold both it and the Orange one. It was an average game at best, with a walking pace to it more often than not, and here are some of those who performed the least.
Shane Watson - The ship continues to rock
The Royals may have only lost one game prior to this season, but it has largely been thanks to the consistency of Shane Watson’s partner at the top of the innings than due to the man himself. With a good innings followed by a poor one almost inevitably, Watson fell to a tame attempt at clearing the inner circle, chipping the ball to Murali Karthik off Rampaul with a ‘nothing’ shot. Made a decent comeback, knocking over a couple of wickets with the ball in his hand, but that’s not really what his captain will be looking for most from him.
Dishant Yagnik – Letting the spotlight slip
After a sizzling debut against the Mumbai Indians, the young ‘keeper threw away his wicket too cheaply tonight, hauling out to Rampaul at long on, off RP Singh. It came at a crucial juncture in the innings as well, and in a way, was the trigger which set off the batting collapse for the Royals. Much has been said about young Indian batsmen needing to make better decisions, and balancing their natural game with their responsibilities to the team. This will serve as another example of one, in spite of some nifty work with the gloves.
Murali Karthik – Must temper that temper
Karthik was not only RCB’s most expensive bowler on the night, but was also their most frustrated one, and visibly so. Screaming his head off on the field might have earned him some temporary relief, but is almost certain to come back and bite him in parts unknown. What makes him an addition to this list is the fact that while his frustration may have been justified, its outlet on the pitch was simply irrational, and even seemed to earn him a talking-to from the captain. Team spirit is the name of the game!
Virat Kohli – A bump in the rear-view mirror
A very reluctant addition to the flops for this game, Kohli simply could not make the same excellent judgement call on the Faulkner delivery he faced as he did on including RP Singh in the side after what happened in recent fixtures. A seemingly harmless off-cutter found a huge gap between bat and pad for Kohli, took the inside of his bat, and crashed into the stumps, seeing him off for a solitary run. A blip which, in hindsight, will hopefully be a one-off for the Orange cap holder.