Dinesh Karthik said RCB struggled to score in both home games because the Chinnaswamy pitch was slow and tough to bat on.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach Dinesh Karthik expressed concern over the nature of pitches at Chinnaswamy Stadium after the team’s disappointing batting displays in two home matches. RCB were restricted to 169/8 against Gujarat Titans and 163/7 versus Delhi Capitals, struggling on what Karthik described as slow, challenging surfaces. He believes the pitch has neutralized RCB’s traditional home advantage, especially at a venue known for high-scoring games.
“In the first two games, we have asked for good pitches. But it’s turned out in this way where it’s been challenging to bat on. So, we try to do the best with whatever we get,” Karthik said while speaking at the post-match press conference.
“But we will have a chat with him (the curator). We trust him to do his job. So, this isn’t a pitch that’s helping the batters too much. It’s a challenging pitch. So that has been the case so far in both the games that we have played,” he added.
RCB’s Struggles Grow as Star Batters Fail to Fire at Home
Dinesh Karthik then highlighted the importance of boundaries in T20s, stressing that big hits are vital for both players and fans. Bengaluru’s key batters failed to fire, with Devdutt Padikkal scoring 1 off 8 balls and Rajat Patidar managing 25 from 23. Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, and Krunal Pandya also struggled to build momentum. Karthik also pointed out that slow pitches like the one at Chinnaswamy made even strike rotation difficult.
“I think the way T20 cricket is, the more runs there are, the better it is for the broadcaster, the better it is for the fans. They all like to see boundaries. And we will try and do the best of what we can. I think with every pitch, we’ll try and understand what’s the best way to play. I don’t think we have one set template that is how we want to go out there and play. It’s important to adapt and understand what the pitch is,” Karthik said.
RCB will look to bounce back when they travel to face the Rajasthan Royals in their next IPL 2025 match on Sunday, April 13, in Jaipur.
