Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s woes in the Indian Premier League 2024 intensified after their fifth consecutive defeat, despite a valiant effort against Sunrisers Hyderabad in match 30, which took place on April 15. The high-scoring encounter saw RCB fall short by 25 runs after a commendable chase, ending at 262 against the formidable 287-run total set by the opposition at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
This latest setback places the team in a precarious position, with only one win from seven matches, and at the base of the points table with a meager two points. Their journey to the playoffs is now akin to walking a tightrope, with only a drastic turnaround offering any hope for playoff contention.
In recent discussions, cricket veterans like Virender Sehwag and Manoj Tiwary have pinpointed what seems to be missing in the RCB ranks. Sehwag, a former Indian opener known for his straightforward analysis, highlighted the absence of Indian members in the team’s management. He believes this lack of familiarity creates a disconnect between the players and the support staff, a factor that may have been weighing heavily on the team’s performance.
“When you have a team where most of the players are Indian and the management is completely foreign, you create a language and culture barrier,” Sehwag stated on Cricbuzz. “This could lead to situations where the Indian players, who are neither international stars nor fluent in English, might feel lost or intimidated.”
The concern is not just about comfort but also confidence—being able to express themselves freely without fear of losing their spot in the lineup. A local figure in management could serve as a bridge, reassuring the players and allowing them to be more expressive, on and off the field.
RCB’s current coaching ensemble, led by Andy Flower as the head coach with Adam Griffith as the bowling coach, does include Indian coaches Sridharan Sriram and Malolan Rangarajan. However, the leadership trio comprising the captain, head coach, and bowling coach are all foreigners, which might be creating a disconnect, as Sehwag suggests.
Tiwary, another former India batsman, has dived deeper into the challenges plaguing the Bangalore franchise this season. From inconsistent decisions at the auction table to questionable management strategies, Tiwary’s analysis pointed to the departure of key performers like Yuzvendra Chahal, who has been scrimping wickets for another team, as a self-inflicted wound.
In particular, Tiwary expressed astonishment at the benching of the franchise’s four costliest players—Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Mohammed Siraj, and Alzarri Joseph—despite their hefty price tag collectively breaching the Rs 40 crore mark, implying this as a glaring mismanagement of resources.
“The issues are clearly not with the bat, but with the ball and, particularly, in the spin department,” Tiwary elaborated. The absence of a specialist spinner has been acutely felt, with part-timers being relied upon, and he also criticised some on-field captaincy decisions as sub-par. For RCB, he declares, it is time for a comprehensive regrouping and the formulation of a long-term strategy that can address these gaps authentically.
With the tournament progressing and RCB’s hopes for a playoff berth dangling by a thread, it is evident that a re-evaluation of strategies and perhaps even the coaching dynamic is in dire need if they aspire to recapture their past glories and provide their fans with the success they long for.
