Former South African batting maestro and Royal Challengers Bengaluru icon, AB de Villiers, has voiced his strong disapproval of the commentary during RCB’s crucial encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants. De Villiers, speaking on his show ABD 360, highlighted the repeated emphasis by commentators on the perceived pressure faced by RCB’s bowling attack. He argued that this narrative was excessively negative and failed to acknowledge the exceptional batting conditions of the pitch.
De Villiers further elaborated his point by suggesting that Rishabh Pant’s magnificent innings of 118 runs off just 61 deliveries would not have been possible had the pitch been as challenging as the commentators implied during the initial stages of the game. Bengaluru, needing a victory to secure a top-two finish for the first time in nine seasons, ultimately conceded a substantial 227 runs.
Expressing his frustration on his YouTube channel, De Villiers stated, “I listened to the commentators last night and honestly, it got me so angry. They were so negative when we were bowling. They kept saying, ‘RCB’s bowling is under pressure. They don’t look like they’re going to manage it.’“ He then directly addressed the commentators, saying, “To all you very clever and sharp commentators out there, how about considering the possibility that it was an excellent surface for batting? They went on about how RCB’s bowling unit was once again in poor form.”
AB De Villiers also pointed out a tendency among commentators to adhere to a pre-existing narrative, particularly concerning RCB’s historical lack of title wins. “As I watched the match, I thought: sometimes commentators get fixated on a narrative. Yes, RCB have never won a title, but it’s lazy to keep saying, ‘Here we go again. The bowlers are failing, they’re useless,’ without properly analysing what’s happening on the field,” he asserted.
Despite the formidable total set by Lucknow, stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma played a sensational unbeaten innings of 85 runs, guiding Bengaluru to a remarkable six-wicket victory over Lucknow and securing their place in Qualifier 1 of the IPL. This victory overshadowed Pant’s brilliant century. Bengaluru finished second on the league table with 19 points, the same as Punjab Kings, but positioned behind them due to net run rate. They are now set to face the Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur on Thursday.
