Kohli 90 powers RCB to biggest win over CSK

With their captain showing the way, Royal Challengers Bangalore registered their fourth win of IPL 2020, condemning Chennai Super Kings to a 37-run defeat.

What went wrong for CSK in the chase?

Pretty much everything. Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis were kept under check in the first three overs bowled by RCB's pacers. With only 13 coming off it, there were risks to be taken when the spinner Washington Sundar came on. Faf du Plessis tried a loft thrice in succession and offered near chances before the third one went straight to the fielder's hand. Washington Sundar then prized out Watson with a quicker delivery when he attempted a reprise of a slog sweep to leave CSK at 26-2 at the end of the powerplay.

Was there a fightback?

Not really. For 52 balls after that, Ambati Rayudu and N Jagadeesan coasted along adding just 64 runs. With RCB's bowling being on point, the risks taken ended up as wickets more often than not. Jagadeesan was run out in a clumsy fashion as he failed to make an effort to get in against a direct hit. MS Dhoni, eager to take on Yuzvendra Chahal's legspin hit a six first before he was outdone by a delivery looped wider. His big hit ended up in the hands of long-off while Rayudu's scoop looked silly against a yorker from Isuru Udana and Sam Curran was bounced out first ball by Chris Morris (4-0-19-3). And unlike previous CSK games, there was no late surge that took them closer to the target of 169.

How did RCB get to 169?

For a large part of the innings, RCB were on course for a total far lesser. After 16 overs, they had just 103 on board. On a pitch that wasn't assisting strokemaking, they had chosen to bat and were on the backfoot early when Aaron Finch was castled, yet again, by a delivery nipping in. Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli then put on a 53-run stand off 45 balls which steadied the innings, but denied them off any momentum. And when AB de Villiers and Padikkal were picked up with cross-seamers by Shardul Thakur in the same over, the innings was in danger of going off course.

How did they turn it around?

It was largely due to their captain, Virat Kohli. After steering the innings by scoring at a strike-rate of just over 100, Kohli had stayed in long enough to get a good measure of the pitch, and decided upon the right ways to shift gears. Cutters were proving to be an effective weapon from a good length and he began to counter it by stepping down the track for his lofted shots. And in the unbeaten 76-run stand with Shivam Dube, he began to push the younger batsman for more doubles, and ten times in all over their 33-ball stay.

How did Kohli manage 90 when the next highest was just 33?

The pacing of the innings could provide some answers. Over his first 30 balls, Kohli scored only 34 runs. But by then, he had a plan to accelerate his scoring on the pitch. Off the last 22 balls he faced, Kohli scored a stunning 56 runs. Through this last phase, he toyed with lengths and lines expertly and brought a rare, stunning scoop to the fine leg fence from wide outside off. He scored 46 of the 66 runs RCB scored in the last four overs, and the innings proved to be the biggest difference-maker in the game.

Where do they go from here?

RCB have a day's gap before they go to Sharjah to take on Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday. CSK have another game in Dubai as they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 169/4 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 90*) beat Chennai Super Kings 132/8 in 20 overs (Ambati Rayudu 42; Chris Morris 3-19) by 37 runs