IPL 2018: Has Virat Kohli's captaincy let down RCB?

Very surprisingly, Virat’s captaincy so far in the IPL hasn’t been up to the mark. He has been taking wrong decisions throughout.

 

 If you look closely, Yuzvendra Chahal hasn’t been completing his quota of 4 overs. In the matches against KKR, MI and DD, Chahal was given only three overs. Well, if your main wicket-taking bowlers are not completing their full quota of 4 overs, how do you expect the team to win matches? And yes, instead of him, Corey Anderson has bowled? Very surprising this from Virat.

Source: deccanchronicle.com

 

 If you look at the previous 3 matches RCB has played, Corey Anderson has bowled the last over in all three. Your team’s most expensive bowler is bowling the last over? That’s not at all acceptable.

 

Let’s look closely at what happened in the game against Chennai. 

 

Virat Kohli finished the overs of both his strike bowlers, Umesh & Chahal, in the twelfth over itself, which made it lot easier for Rayudu and Dhoni to take on the other less experienced and expensive bowlers in the death overs. He should have saved at least one of Umesh’s over for the death, and that could have made a difference in the outcome of the game as well.

 

If you see, Washington Sundar was given only one over in that game. Agreed that he was smashed for two sixes against Rayudu, but MS Dhoni has had recent struggles against spin, and Virat could have used Washington against Dhoni. He for sure would have stopped runs at least, if not taking any wickets.

 

Virat needs to make some changes in the team, back his players and learn from his previous mistakes to make a comeback into the tournament. 

 

 Here is an example of Kohli’s inability to handle criticism. After the first test of the recently concluded SA series, he was aggressively questioned by the press about Rahane’s non-selection in the team. Now, this was a genuine question on a genuine mistake he made. This mistake was eventually corrected in the next test…but his response left many in shockk. He was confrontational. He even ridiculously asked the reporter to select the team for the 2nd test. This small confrontational aspect reveals a lot about his personality trait. If Kohli can’t take criticism from the press, which is an extension of the fan base for the game in India…he surely will have a lot of trouble when (if) a lesser player points out his mistakes. This precisely is the problem for RCB. Who’s going to tell him that he’s making wrong decisions? Whoever that is, can expect to be cold-shouldered/ignored/dismissed/brushed away for the rest of his tenure in that team!

Source: CricketCountry.com

 

We have seen how, in the past, the appointment of a new coach or captain has breathed new life into a dead team. In the same vein, if Kohli were to step down and someone else appointed in his stead, the RCB camp might get the shot of adrenaline they need to get revitalised for the next season.

Merely hearing a new voice barking out instructions on the field could also help motivate the players to perform to their potential. Kohli has never led his side to the title, and a new face might be able to do that.

 Is RCB beyond redemption? Not yet. They just need to pick up their death bowling, as I am sure they have realized by now. Their batting looks fabulous, though top heavy. Oh! They also need to stop the wholesale chopping and changing, but Virat being Virat, would find it despicable to play any two subsequent matches with the same 11, so that is something that won't happen, so there is no point in hoping for that!