The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 witnessed a crucial tactical shift by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) that proved instrumental in their 35-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Thursday, April 25th. The match, held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, offered valuable insights into how teams can approach their encounters with the high-scoring SRH batting unit.
SRH, boasting a dominant batting lineup, had thrived on chasing throughout the tournament. With an average first-innings score of 235, their aggressive approach often put opposition bowlers under immense pressure. Their victories were often built upon setting near-impossible targets, leaving opponents scrambling to catch up.
However, RCB captain Faf du Plessis opted for a bold strategy, choosing to bat first after winning the toss. This decision effectively prevented SRH from employing their customary power-hitting tactics in a chase. By setting a respectable target of 207 runs, RCB shifted the pressure onto the Hyderabad team.
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Former England captain Eoin Morgan, speaking on Jio Cinema after the match, lauded RCB’s strategic approach. He suggested that this tactic could serve as a blueprint for other teams facing SRH.
“That can be a contributing factor (chasing led to SRH’s defeat?) alongside what the wicket has to go be,” Morgan stated. “We saw what happened in Delhi, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, it was an absolute road [a good batting pitch]. It was a pure shootout. In a pure shootout, they will come up trumps, majority of the time just because of the way they play.”
Morgan further emphasized the significance of RCB’s strategy. “So, I think the way RCB played is, I think, a wake-up call to how the other sides take on the SunRisers,” he added.
SRH’s next encounter pits them against the defending champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, April 28th. While Chennai has witnessed good batting pitches so far this season, Morgan believes a slower surface could benefit CSK against the batting-heavy SRH lineup.
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“They are going to go to Chennai next. Obviously, so far at the Chepauk, we have seen really good batting pitches. So it will be interesting to see if CSK go back to what works for them – the CSK squeeze [restrictive bowling tactics]. On a good pitch, we saw what Marcus Stoinis did the other night at the Chepauk in that chase,” concluded Eoin Morgan.
With five wins and three losses, SRH currently sits comfortably in third place on the points table. RCB, despite their recent win, remains at the bottom with just two victories from nine games. The remainder of the season promises to be a thrilling display of strategy and execution, with teams taking valuable lessons from RCB’s success in exploiting a potential chink in SRH’s armor.
