AB de Villiers underscored RCB’s persistent bowling weakness, highlighting concerns for the upcoming season after the release of players like Josh Hazlewood.
AB de Villiers, an important figure for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), acknowledged the team’s historical struggle in bowling, particularly at Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the expansive boundaries pose a challenge. Despite RCB’s consistency in recent IPL seasons, the franchise has yet to claim a title. When talking on his YouTube channel, De Villiers highlighted the team’s collective responsibility, underlining the need for cohesion, better composure under pressure, and rectifying errors to enhance performance.
“It has been a well-known fact that RCB’s bowling has been an area of weakness over the years. Yes, the batters also made a mess at times, but you need to play as a team. You need to gel together and understand each other. More often than not, there has been this feeling of making silly mistakes, not getting the discipline right, and not doing the basics well under pressure. We know how difficult it is to bowl at the Chinnaswamy Stadium,” De Villiers said.
RCB made bold decisions before IPL 2024 by releasing key players like Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, and Josh Hazlewood. De Villiers also expressed concern, particularly about the bowling lineup’s restructuring after releasing performers like Hazlewood, who had a significant impact in controlling the team’s bowling attack.
“It is the area where I would be worried. Obviously, there is Mohammed Siraj there, Reece Topley, and some experience there, but if you see the released players list, they let go of Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, and Josh Hazlewood. Those three have won them a lot of games in the last couple of seasons, especially Hazlewood; he had just this way of controlling that bowling lineup,” he added.
Last Updated on December 3, 2023
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