IPL 2020 | RCB management erred by resorting to constant chopping and changing, reckons Shaun Pollock
Shaun Pollock believes that the RCB management missed a trick by constantly looking to the outside for solutions and not putting enough faith in the incumbents to get the job done. Pollock reckons that instead of chopping and changing, RCB should have defined plans better for every single player.
It was deja vu for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday as, not for the first time in their history, the side were knocked out of the IPL by a spirited Sunrisers Hyderabad unit. Almost fittingly, RCB were haunted by the same old problem that has pestered the team for close to a decade - chopping and changing individuals rampantly - as despite changing 36% of the side, the Reds slumped to a scathing six-wicket defeat.Â
The four changes made on Friday - some forced - were a hallmark of their entire IPL 2020 campaign as despite racking up wins early on, the Reds were never quite able to zero-in on their final combination. The methodology, eventually, came back to bite the side as RCB, on Friday, marked the 13th straight season of them going trophyless.
Reviewing RCBâs underwhelming performance in the Eliminator, Shaun Pollock noted that the side had shot themselves in the foot by not trusting their players. Pollock, a former bowling coach of MI, reckoned that RCB erred by not putting enough trust on the incumbents and claimed that they paid the price for constantly hoping that the grass would be greener on the other side.
âI think you can get confused at times searching for the perfect XI, rather than trying to get the XI you have to perform as perfectly as possible. I think thatâs the key - itâs not often about changing, itâs about getting the guys in the mix to play better,â Pollock said on Cricbuzz LIVE.Â
âFor example, if we look at RCBâs performance across the last 5 games where theyâve been less than par, they needed to get more out of Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube in the middle-overs with the bat. As a management, thatâs when youâll have to work with those guys to get their confidence up.Â
âThatâs often where you can improve the teamâs performance. Itâs not always that the grass is greener, get someone else into the XI. Itâs about how we want to get XI we want to field in the entire tournament up on confidence and give them the right gameplans to succeed.â
RCB entered the Eliminator in the hope of turning their fortunes around but their dreams were dashed pretty early on by SRHâs Jason Holder, who struck twice inside the powerplay to leave the Reds teetering. Through his extra bounce, the 29-year-old accounted for the prized scalps of both Kohli and Padikkal and Pollock noted that the tall nature of the West Indian - who is of the Ambrose mould - helps him to deceive batsmen.
âOften when you face the big tall guys like the Ambroses and the Walshes, what happens is that the ball hits the splice. It just feels like the ball has come onto you quicker than you expected. The extra bounce can actually make the delivery seem quicker.â
RCBâs IPL 2020 campaign came to an end on Friday but SRH, with the victory, have now moved on to Qualifier 2, where they will take on Delhi Capitals in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.Â