RCB has now slipped to 5 losses from 5 games and is constantly struggling to get over the line despite all the chopping and changing in the lineup, trying to find the best combination to get their first points on the board. They are the only team that has yet to taste success in the season so far. Skipper Smriti Mandhana’s form with the bat has been a cause of concern for them and is costing them heavily in terms of making an impact post the powerplay overs, costing them that extra 15-20 runs with the bat towards the back end. Let’s have a look at the problem areas for RCB.
Team-wise Middle Overs Batting Out Rate
A team that performs well in the middle innings is a team that has the upper hand over the opposition. Let’s have a look at how RCB has fared in the middle over phases of the game so far in the tournament. Though RCB has faced the most number of balls (270) in this phase as compared to the other teams in the season, they have also lost 16 wickets in the process, which is the most for any team in this phase.
The RCB’s struggles to form a partnership through the middle phase of the innings have reflected in their Balls Per Dismissal (BPD) value of 16.8, the worst among all the teams this season, which means they have lost a wicket after almost every 3 overs, which is clearly not a good sign when you are trying to keep the momentum going and build towards a strong finish towards the end.
Smriti’s Dismissal Pattern Analysis
Smriti Mandhana’s struggle against spin was quite evident, and almost every opponent tried to exploit her weakness by employing a spinner early on in the powerplay, successfully making full use of the matchup against her. 4 of her 5 dismissals were against spin, and 2 of them were against the right arm spin.
She has just managed to score 39 runs from the 37 balls she has faced, averaging just 9.8 with a strike rate of 105 against spin. The majority of her dismissals came when the bowlers targeted the off stump and the channel outside off. She has tackled the pacers well as compared to the spinners, scoring 49 runs off the 38 balls she faced, averaging 49 with just one dismissal and a strike rate of 129.
Conclusion
For RCB to make an impact and sign off on a high note this season, bringing some joy to the faces of RCB fans, skipper Smriti Mandhana has to lead from the front with the bat. Mandhana has to take it deep and play an anchor’s role, allowing the batters at the other end of the line to go out there and express themselves while making sure she stays right till the end. Taking the attack to the opposition in the last 5–6 overs, trying to maximize the advantage of having bowlers under the pump in the final overs of an inning.
