"I don't think we got enough out of our senior players" - Mike Hesson on RCB's shortcomings in WPL 2023
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Director of Cricket Mike Hesson opened up about where the franchise faltered during the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) campaign.
RCB failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing in fourth place, four points below third-placed UP Warriorz.
The Smriti Mandhana-led side never quite got their campaign up and running after losing their first five matches. While they did string together a couple of solid performances to win consecutive matches, it was too late, as far as their qualification aspirations were concerned.
A season of learnings and new beginnings. Smriti, Perry, Mike, Shreyanka, Asha, Ben and Schutt express their emotions after a tough but memorable inaugural edition of #WPL.
#PlayBold #SheIsBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #WPL2023 https://t.co/NctIeMfzDg
RCB finished the campaign with a loss to the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Tuesday, March 21, at the DY Patil Stadium. Opining that the side did not get enough output from the senior players as required, Mike Hesson told RCB Match Day:
"I think we were slow to start, I don't think as a playing group we got enough out of our senior players. When it is a short tournament like this, if you are out of form, then it is hard to get yourself back in."
Hesson continued:
When we played at our best, we were very good, but unfortunately, that came a little too late."
The likes of Mandhana, Renuka Singh, and Meghan Schutt had forgettable campaigns, which had an impact on the franchise's fate in the inaugural season of the WPL.
The performances of Sophie Devine and Ellyse Perry with the bat were among the few takeaways for the side.
While the New Zealand opener struck the highest individual score of the campaign (99*), the Australian all-rounder also made her presence felt, often single-handedly holding the middle order together.
"We were a long way away from what's expected from RCB" - Mike Hesson
RCB could not make it three wins out of three to end the campaign as MI wrapped up their last league stage contest with a comfortable win.
𝗥𝗖𝗕 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺: 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 📸
This squad stuck together and supported each other in highs and lows. So many memories to cherish in our debut season! 🫶
#PlayBold #SheIsBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #WPL2023 https://t.co/bKIzLEEhEB
During a dressing room talk following the four-wicket defeat, Mike Hesson told the RCB squad:
"I really liked the fact that everyone stuck together, but also as a group, we were a long way away from what's expected from RCB. The WPL next year will be better standard than this year. We have to use the next 10-11 months, to get better in every aspect of the game. We have to be fitter, faster and stronger. We are all in this together."
RCB narrowly avoided last place in the points table by virtue of their net run rate of -1.137, which was considerably better in comparison to the Gujarat Giants' (GG) net run rate, which read -2.220, keeping them in fifth spot.
What do you think went wrong for RCB in their maiden campaign? Write your thoughts in the comments section below.