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Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers brutally called out a group of commentators for their negative commentary about Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) bowling attack during their IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 27. De Villiers argued that instead of analysing the pitch conditions at the Ekana Cricket stadium, the commentators mocked RCB's bowlers, by continuously saying they are faltering under pressure in a crucial game.
AB De Villiers not happy with negative commentary on RCB's bowlers
De Villiers, on his YouTube show 'ABD 360' contended that if the pitch had been as challenging as the commentators suggested during the first innings, Rishabh Pant would not have been able to score 118 runs off just 61 balls. RCB conceded 227 runs to LSG in Lucknow, a match they needed to win to secure a top-two finish for the first time in nine years. Stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma won the toss and opted to field, but some tactical errors allowed Mitchell Marsh and Rishabh Pant to dismantle RCB's bowling attack, helping LSG achieve their highest home score.After struggling to find his rhythm initially, Pant went on to hit eight sixes and eleven boundaries, recording his first IPL century in seven years. The pitch at Ekana Stadium was uncharacteristically balanced on Tuesday, with both teams seemingly enjoying the playing conditions. In a record-breaking chase, RCB successfully pursued the 228-run target in just 18.4 overs. Jitesh Sharma's incredible unbeaten 85 off 33 deliveries and Virat Kohli's quick 54 off 30 balls were instrumental in RCB securing two crucial points which helped them finish second in the standings and seal a spot in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1.
"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. Once again, an in-form team is starting to lose momentum.' But what about this-maybe it was just a really good batting wicket, guys? To all you very clever and sharp commentators out there, how about considering the possibility that it was an excellent surface for batting?," De Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
"They went on about how RCB's bowling unit was once again in poor form. 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. Rishabh Pant is not going to score 118 off 60-odd balls on a tricky, very difficult pitch. All the LSG batters were fluent out there. Yes, there was some poor bowling at times. But ultimately, one must look at the bigger picture-227 runs on a wicket that typically doesn't support such batting suggest it was simply a very good surface. RCB were still in the contest; they weren't blown away, and they proved that," he added.
In previous instances, RCB's bowling has faltered at crucial moments. In the clash against LSG, RCB's pace attack, featuring Yash Dayal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, proved to be expensive, with Josh Hazlewood notably absent from their ranks. However, RCB were on a mission as they went on to chase down a colossal target of 228 runs
All eyes will be on Virat Kohli and RCB, as they face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 on May 29 as the Bengaluru-based franchise are chasing their maiden title
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