"We felt like we needed to improve at home" - Faf du Plessis on RCB's strategy in IPL 2024 auction
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis highlighted that their strategy in the IPL 2024 auction was to buy players who would help them improve at home. The right-handed batter reflected that their performances in IPL 2023 left them with plenty of scope for improvement in home conditions.
Out of seven matches at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in IPL 2023, RCB managed to win three and lost four. They faced defeats at the hands of the Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants despite posting scores in excess of 190, signaling their bowlers' poor performance.
This is why the side invested in the likes of Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Alzarri Joseph, and Lockie Ferguson in the auction.
In a statement issued by Du Plessis, the veteran said RCB have spent the last two months thinking about how to find the combination of players to improve at home. As quoted by PTI, he stated:
"After the last season, we felt like we needed to improve at home. One of the things that we did really well was to succeed away from Chinnaswamy. So, we put our heads together and what that looks like to be better at home and how can we get better, in what ways can we improve?
"It's definitely the auction (way to improve) and the process of the last two months has been solely around planning to be better at home and the type of bowlers and batsmen that will be successful at home."
RCB were close to clinching a playoff spot in 2023 and needed a win over the Gujarat Titans. However, they lost despite posting 197 as Shubman Gill's century clinched the win.
"It's always really important that you do your homework" - Faf du Plessis
The 39-year-old also underlined having discussions about the future prospects of the franchise, elaborating:
"We spent a lot of time talking about RCB and where we wanted to take the franchise. I think it's always really important that you do your homework and make sure you look at every area and talk it through."
The skipper was the highest run-getter for RCB in IPL 2023, finishing with 730 runs in 14 matches, averaging 56.15.