"If Nehal had held the catch, this team might not have scored these many runs" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's batting in IPL 2023 loss to MI
Aakash Chopra reckons the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) might have been restricted to an even lower total had Faf du Plessis' catch not been put down by Nehal Wadhera in their IPL 2023 clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI).
Du Plessis scored a 41-ball 65 as the Bengaluru-based franchise set a 200-run target for MI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, May 9. The five-time champions then chased down the target with six wickets and 21 deliveries to spare to register their sixth win of the tournament.
While reflecting on RCB's innings in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that the visitors were fortunate that they didn't lose Du Plessis along with Virat Kohli in the first over, elaborating:
"Kohli got out in the first over itself bowled by Jason Behrendorff. Faf was also dropped on a duck. That's an interesting one. If Nehal had held the catch, this team might not have scored these many runs because the 'K' and 'F' in KGF would have been dismissed in the first over itself but that did not happen."
The former Indian opener picked Glenn Maxwell (68 off 33) and Du Plessis' dismissals as the turning point of the game, reasoning:
"After that, Faf and Glenn Maxwell hit extremely well but when both of them got out, that is where the game changed. This is the problem with this team that they are so much dependent on KGF."
Maxwell joined Du Plessis in the middle when RCB were in a spot of bother at 16/2 in the third over. The duo added 120 runs in 10 overs to put their side in a great position but the rest of the batters couldn't drive home the advantage once they were dismissed.
"The pitch was so flat and the opposition bowling was ordinary" - Aakash Chopra says RCB should have scored more runs
![Mahipal Lomror managed just a solitary run against MI. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/05/31474-16836919193700-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra highlighted that the Royal Challengers Bangalore fell short of the total they should have reached, explaining:
"Mahipal Lomror, of course, scored runs in the last match but runs will not be scored every time. Dinesh Karthik scored runs but it seemed in the end that 20-25 more runs should have been scored because the pitch was so flat and the opposition bowling was ordinary but you could not do that."
The reputed commentator added that RCB have posted below-par totals whenever they have batted first, stating:
"It is becoming a slight story for Bangalore that every time they bat first, you feel that they are slightly short of runs. It happened in the last match as well and it was the case here too."
Chopra concluded by pointing out that RCB's bowling, which seemed to be their strength earlier, has turned into a weakness. He added that the three-time finalists will continue to find it difficult if their bowling remains ordinary, especially since they are overdependent on just three players in the batting department.