Dinesh Karthik says IPL is a marathon, not every game can be won

Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach Dinesh Karthik praised the team’s resilience after their defeat to Rajasthan Royals, saying IPL is a long tournament. He lauded Rajat Patidar, Krunal Pandya and others for their performances and character under pressure

Hyderabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s batting coach and team mentor Dinesh Karthik praised the team’s character and resilience following their first away fixture of the season against Rajasthan Royals, where the side went down by six wickets.

“It’s important to understand that in a tournament like the IPL, it’s a marathon, you’re not going to win every game. But if the team keeps showing character, keeps fighting, that’s how you excel,” said Karthik.

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Karthik pointed out that the surface was not the easiest to bat on, making the team’s total an impressive effort.

“I felt the pitch was not that easy to bat on. It wasn’t really coming on, and Dev’s dismissal just showed that the pitch was sticking. In spite of all the challenges that we had, to get to the score that we did was a wonderful effort.”

Karthik reserved special praise for Rajat Patidar, highlighting both his shot-making and temperament.

“Rajat Patidar was special. It’s great to see him play so well, not just in terms of shot-making but also understanding the situation of the game. The way he made sure he was there almost right till the end shows his character. We are very happy as a group to see how well he reacted to that tough situation.”

He also lauded the contributions of Impact Player Venkatesh Iyer and Romario Shepherd.

“Venkatesh Iyer wasn’t originally slotted in to bat, but he was told late that he might need to step in. For him to grab his opportunity with both hands and make an impact was wonderful. I’m sure he’s going to have a bright season whenever he gets the opportunity. Shepherd also batted nicely. I’m sure he would have wanted more, but it was good to see him bat the way he did.”

With the ball, Karthik acknowledged the team’s effort to stay in the contest despite a strong start from the opposition.

“We got an early wicket in Jaiswal, which set the tone. It’s great to have Josh Hazlewood back, and as always, he got his job done in the first over.”

“But as it happens in the IPL, there was an extraordinary knock, and they batted beautifully. Still, to take the game that deep after the start they had tells you the character in this team.”

Karthik also praised Krunal Pandya’s leadership under pressure.

“He’s a fighter. In clutch situations, he brings out strong performances. He thought out of the box, set interesting fields, and showed how to bowl under pressure.”

Reflecting on the support from the stands, Karthik expressed gratitude to the travelling fans.

“It’s amazing to come to Guwahati and still see so much support. There were so many people backing us. It’s a great feeling. Yes, the result didn’t go our way, but we tried our best and did everything possible to make it a good match.”

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will now turn their attention to their next fixture in Mumbai, where the defending champions take on the Mumbai Indians.

“Mumbai is a great venue to bat. It’s a full house and one of the better grounds in terms of history. I’m sure it’ll be a great match and we’ll put our best foot forward to cross the line,” Karthik said.