RCB were perhaps 15-20 runs short at the halfway stage as their batters put a below par 171-run total on the batting friendly deck at the Sharjah Cricket Ground. This deficit which eventually had a bearing on the result of the game could have been due to a baffling decision by skipper Virat Kohli to send their strike weapon and versatile batsman AB De Villiers rather late in the batting order at No 6 against KXIP.
With both RCB openers Devdutt Padikkal and Aaron back in the pavilion after the first seven overs, fans expected AB De Villiers to join skipper Kohli at his customary No. 4 position with an aim to inject some impetus into the derailed RCB innings. However, much to everyone's surprise, all-rounder Washington Sundar came into bat at 4.
Washington Sundar And Shivam Dube Promoted Up The Order Ahead Of AB De Villiers
RCB's move to promote Sundar up the order could have been with a purpose of using the all-rounder as a pinch hitter and provide the team with a quick-fire cameo. to step up the scoring rate However with Punjab spinners in full song, Sundar could not get going and eventually fell for 13 off 14 deliveries.
Both Sundar and Dube Could Not Get Going As KXIP Spinners Cast Web Around Them
With Sundar back in the pavilion, RCB sprung up yet another surprise by sending all-rounder Shivam Dube ahead of De Villiers. Dube too struggled to rotate strike and when Kohli urged him to go for the big shots, the all-rounder struck too massive sixes off spinner Ravi Bishnoi but eventually fell for 23.
There was some respite with De Villiers eventually coming out to bat in the 16th over but it seemed to be rather too late. Much to the despair of RCB, Mr 360 fell for 2 to seamer Mohammad Shami. RCB also lost skipper Virat Kohli and the game swung in the favour of KXIP.
RCB fans were infuriated and expressed their discontent and frustration on social media over skipper Virat Kohli's baffling decision to send Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube ahead of AB De Villiers against Kings Eleven Punjab