RCB captain Faf du Plessis admitted that his team’s confidence has been low this season due to a series of losses. After their sixth defeat in seven games against Sunrisers Hyderabad, du Plessis commented on the challenging nature of cricket when confidence is lacking.
“It’s tough when your confidence is down,” du Plessis said. “Cricket doesn’t give you a break when you’re not feeling confident. We’ve been trying different things internally to boost confidence, especially in our bowling department. It’s important to keep trying new strategies, like introducing some leg spin to take wickets in the middle overs.”
Despite the loss, du Plessis praised RCB’s batting efforts. He highlighted the team’s strong start in the chase, particularly during the powerplay, with himself and Virat Kohli leading the charge. Dinesh Karthik’s impressive innings towards the end helped RCB finish with a respectable total of 262/7.
“We’ve been performing well in the powerplay, but we need to maintain our momentum throughout the innings,” du Plessis noted. “As the game has evolved, teams are scoring higher totals, so it’s crucial for us to keep the run rate up after the powerplay.”
Du Plessis also emphasized the importance of taking a mental break from cricket after consecutive defeats. With a gap before their next game, he stressed the need for players to refresh their minds and return with full commitment.
Travis Head, who starred for SRH with a quick century, praised his team’s middle-order strength and their ability to attack during the powerplay. He also credited the bowlers for pulling things back after a tough start.
The impact player rule, according to Head, has contributed to the high scores in this season’s IPL by allowing teams to strengthen their batting line-ups. He likened it to international cricket, where teams have power-hitters throughout the order.