RCB vs SRH, IPL 2024: Bengaluru sweats on bowling against aggressive Hyderabad batting

When RCB takes on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Monday, only an exceptional individual performance can save the home team from a fifth straight loss.

RCB batters share as much blame as the bowlers, as Virat Kohli and co have failed to get the team to the 200-run mark so far this season. | Photo Credit: PTI

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Faf du Plessis has nowhere to turn. His bowlers concede runs aplenty, and his batters have failed to get going.

When RCB takes on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Monday, only an exceptional individual performance can save the home team from a fifth straight loss.

RCB’s primary concern is the bowling unit, which in the opinion of du Plessis, lacks potent weapons. It is down to the batters to get a massive total and keep the side in the hunt, du Plessis said after a crushing loss to Mumbai Indians.

If only it was that simple. RCB batters share as much blame as the bowlers, as Virat Kohli and co have failed to get the team to the 200-run mark so far this season.

Kohli has been scoring runs by the heap, but this has not helped the team cause. Dinesh Karthik has provided some cheer with his late hits, and RCB may be tempted to promote the 38-year-old up the order.

RCB will find it hard to contain the explosive SRH batters like Heinrich Klaasen and Abhishek Sharma | Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B/ The Hindu

RCB will find it hard to contain the explosive SRH batters. South African Heinrich Klaasen and opener Abhishek Sharma, third and fourth respectively on the list of players with the most number of sixes for the tournament, illustrate SRH’s aggressive intent.

SRH will be encouraged by the confidence shown by uncapped Nitish Kumar Reddy, who smashed a 37-ball 64 against Punjab Kings to give the unit a second straight win.