Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Devdutt Padikkal said that he does not believe that pitch condition is the reason behind their three-match winless streak at M Chinnaswamy Stadium and believes it is time to script stories of success in their home den in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite tilting at windmills on home turf, RCB has relished away from home, maintaining an unbeaten record with five victories on the trot, three of which have come while chasing. Virat Kohli, classified as “Chase Master” has slammed unbeaten fifties in each of them.
“To be honest, I think it’s just a coincidence that our [five] wins have come away from home. But we have played some really good cricket throughout the tournament,” Padikkal told reporters in the post-match press conference after their seven-wicket triumph over Punjab Kings.
“I feel we have really gelled well as a unit, and that shows, you know. Each time we suffer a loss, we’re immediately back up, and we’re winning games. It’s important that we continue this momentum and find a way to win at home as well. The Chinnaswamy deserves some wins as well,” he added.
Unlike the previous editions, Chinnaswamy hasn’t traditionally been a batting paradise. RCB batted first each time in the three fixtures and limped to 169/8, 163/7, and 95/9 in a 14-over-a-side fixture.
“I don’t think that’s anything to do with the pitch, to be honest. It’s important as a batting unit to read the pitch quickly enough – I feel that’s something we have not done as well as possible. We’ve not been up to the mark. But that’s part of the tournament that the IPL is. It always has challenges,” Padikkal said.
“This is a challenge for us as a team – it’s important that we find a way. Definitely, we have some experienced and talented cricketers in the side, and we’ll put our heads together and come up with a plan for the next home game,” he added.
With action coming thick and fast, RCB will need to find the winning formula on home turf, with four remaining fixtures set to be played at home.
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