IPL 2019: Three reasons why RCB have struggled this season

#2 Lack of quality fast bowlers

Without a doubt, a T20 match is predominantly a batsman’s game yet one cannot eliminate the immense value a quality bowler brings into the team. You may have a very strong batting line up but without a capable bowling unit, a team is most likely to end up on a losing side more often than not and that’s exactly what happened with RCB this season.

Though, Kohli and de Villiers, along with decent support by Parthiv Patel and Moeen Ali, ended up scoring heavily in few matches yet either they ended up losing the game or just managed to win in the last overs, dare I say, mostly due to batsman’s mistake than bowler’s skills.

Apart from Yuzvendra Chahal, no one else could make any meaningful impact on the game. Unfortunately, their star performer last season, Umesh Yadav (20 wickets) could not replicate the magic this season (7 wickets).

RCB banked a lot on Australian pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile but initially was not available due national commitment and later with an unfortunate stiff back, and could not participate in the IPL at all. To make it worse, New Zealand pacer Tim Southee could not settle in and leaked runs massively without making any impact on the wicket column (1 wicket, Economy 13.11).

Understanding the vacuum, RCB immediately roped in South African pacer, Dale Steyn to strengthen their bowling attack. In the two games against KKR and CSK, the 35-year-old fiery bowler made his presence felt and just when it looked like their prayers had been answered, they were jolted by the news of shoulder inflammation to their now premier bowler, completely ruling him out of rest of the IPL.

Once again, RCB is back to square one with no strength to their bowling attack.