After a significant 35-run victory over SRH, Faf du Plessis humorously remarked that he had nearly forgotten the route to the post-match press conference, following RCB’s prolonged losing streak in the IPL 2024.
RCB’s Breakthrough Victory: Du Plessis Reflects on Crucial Win
Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Faf Du Plessis expressed relief after securing a much-needed second win of the season, overcoming the Sunrisers Hyderabad. This victory not only ended their streak of six consecutive losses but also lifted them from the bottom of the standings.
“I forgot the way to the press conference. I’ve just been walking off after the matches,” Du Plessis joked, sharing his satisfaction with the win.
He also discussed the boost in team morale, reflecting on their recent performances. “In the last two games, we’ve shown great signs of fighting spirit. Even though we lost the previous match where the opposition scored over 270 and we were close at 260, and in the KKR match, we lost by just one run. These close games are crucial, but winning them is essential to regain confidence,” Du Plessis explained, emphasizing the impact of these outcomes on team dynamics and his own leadership.
Emphasizing Performance Over Words for Team Confidence
The versatile right-hander emphasized that true confidence within a team stems from solid performances rather than mere words. “You cannot instill confidence in a team through speech alone, nor can you fabricate it. Real confidence comes from performance. In the first half, we didn’t quite reach our potential. Despite giving our all, if our performances fall short, the fierce competition and strength of other teams will undoubtedly prevail against us,” he explained.
Further enhancing his point, Du Plessis highlighted the positive shift in team dynamics with contributions from players other than Virat Kohli, who has been a predominant force in the batting lineup. “The intense competition and strength of the opposing teams mean any lack of effort will be severely punished. It’s crucial that more players are actively contributing. Initially, Virat was the only one making significant scores. Now, with Greeny also scoring, it’s a huge boost for us and the team,” he added.
Royal Challengers Set Stiff Challenge, Sunrisers Fall Short
The Royal Challengers set a formidable 207-run target, challenging the Sunrisers, who had previously racked up more than 260 runs in their last two matches, boasting the league’s top score. Despite their strong form, the Orange Army couldn’t maintain their momentum, as their wickets fell consistently. Ultimately, the Royal Challengers sealed the victory by a margin of 35 runs.
