Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)’s tale of the Indian Premier League 2024 is worth repeating.
The franchise started the tournament in the worst possible manner, losing seven of their first eight games, which seemed to signal an early exit.
However, when all hope seemed lost, they orchestrated an astonishing turnaround, proving the unpredictability and excitement of cricket.
Lockie Ferguson, the New Zealand pacer who was part of the RCB squad, shed light on this dramatic transformation during a Desert Vipers’ press conference.
He described the initial phase of the tournament as a challenging time for the team, where they were often just a whisker away from victories.
Ferguson Reveals What Helped RCB
“A tough start for the team [RCB] that year, and at times, we were only losing by small margins. And we know in the IPL how small moments can change the entire game with the runs that are scored, and taking a great catch or getting wickets throughout can change the course,” Ferguson reflected.
He credited much of the turnaround to the leadership and management style of Faf du Plessis and Andy Flower.
Despite the pressure and the vocal, passionate RCB fanbase eager for a win, these leaders maintained a calm and collected approach.
“From my point of view, I learned from Faf [du Plessis] and Andy [Flower] how they’ve managed that situation. The RCB fans are vocal and passionate because they want a team to win. It was great learning and understanding in a team struggling to control the environment, encourage players, and change that winning way in the middle of a competition where you don’t have a lot of time to make adjustments,” Ferguson explained.
The IPL 2024 was particularly tough for bowlers, according to Ferguson.
The tournament saw an increase in run rates, making it challenging for bowlers to maintain control over the game.
“For fast bowlers and bowlers in general, the IPL last year was pretty challenging. It was a lot of runs scored. So adjustments needed to be made, and sometimes, they’re just small adjustments that actually build pressure from both ends. So we found a bit of a formula with the team last year into the back end, and you can see how just a small bit of confidence can change a team. But again, that didn’t happen by mistake,” he noted.
Ferguson praised the consistent leadership of Faf du Plessis, whose demeanor remained unaltered whether the team was winning or losing.
This steadiness was complemented by Virat Kohli‘s controlled and supportive presence in the dressing room.
“It was certainly led by Faf, and his demeanour throughout the competition was very similar, whether we were losing or whether we were winning, it didn’t matter. He was a very even leader. Also, Virat was the same, and his conversations in the changing rooms were controlled. We knew that we were short in a few areas at the start of the competition and then we tried to adjust them and managed to do that and have some success and just roll with that.”
Despite their incredible mid-season surge, RCB’s journey ended in the Eliminator against Rajasthan Royals, who later fell to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the playoffs.
However, this does not diminish the inspirational and commendable effort by RCB to recover from what seemed like certain defeat.
