Shane Bond Urges Bowlers to Adapt as RR's Playoff Hopes Fade After Loss to GT

The Royals' poor run at home continued, registering their seventh loss in eight games since the last season in Jaipur. The GT opening pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan enjoyed an absolute feast against RR pacers and reached another 220-plus score in the IPL, which was a mountain too high to climb for the hosts despite their attacking intent in the start.

Speaking about the performance during the post-match presser, Bond admitted that playing their past few games in quick succession left the team "pretty banged up" and less sharp on the field.

"It was a disappointing performance from us. This was a really big game for us, with both games on the same points. Have not seen the table in terms of net run-rate, but we will have to win two of our last three or maybe all three to make it through the playoffs. The five games we had every three days, I think we were pretty banged up after that. We were not quite as sharp," he said.

Bond admitted that the team has failed to get more runs out of their middle-order, especially West Indies hitter Shimron Hetmyer, who has just made 78 runs in seven innings after dazzling the fans in subcontinent conditions in the T20 World Cup before this with 248 runs in seven innings and two fifties.

"Hettie (Hetmyer) would be first one to admit that he did not get the runs that he would have liked. But that is the nature of the game. Across the board, we were not good enough, 230 was going to a big challenge. We misread the surface a little bit and then you had Rashid Khan who makes things tough for you on such surfaces," he added.

In a T20 environment where batters have less fear and a more expansive range of shots, Bond said that it is up to the bowlers to develop their skills as well and "be a superstar".

"The batters are playing the upper cuts, reverses and scoops. They have developed their shots. Bowlers have to develop their skills as well. For them, it is an opportunity to be like: 'I can do that, I can elevate myself into a lot of money and be a superstar'. But we have not seen that consistenly across the board. It is not easy for bowlers. But either you fear what is going on, or just see it as an opportunity to do better and put your name in the lights, especially if you are an Indian," he added.

Bond also said that there is no issues with the wicket in Jaipur, where they have been on a losing spree, admitting that his team needs to be batter.

"I think the wicket is really good, has played beautifully. You just have to be better. We just did not have executed as well as we needed to. We have conceded 230 three games in a row (mid to late 220s against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals while defending). The game against SRH, we dropped a few catches and could have won that one. We have trained well here but not translated into performances. You want to win on your home ground. GT were excellent from ball one, Shubman and Sai played beautifully and the bowling was excellent. They were just excellent," he signed off.

Coming to the match, GT, put to bat first by RR, registered a 118-run opening partnership between Sai Sudharsan (55 in 36 balls, with six fours and two sixes) and skipper Shubman Gill, who also slammed a 44-ball 84, with nine fours and three sixes. A cameo of 37* in 20 balls (with two fours and three sixes) from Washington Sundar helped GT reach 229/4 in 20 overs.

Brijesh Sharma (2/47) was the leading wicket-taker for RR.

In the chase of 230 runs, RR started with high intent, particularly knocks from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (36 in 16 balls, with three fours and three sixes) and Dhruv Jurel (24 in 10 balls, with a four and two sixes). But Rashid Khan (4/33 in four overs) and Jason Holder (3/12 in 2.3 overs) made sure RR fizzled out quickly for just 152 runs in 16.3 overs.

GT is in the second spot in the points table, with seven wins and four losses, and RR stands at fifth, with six wins and five losses, giving them 12 points.

- ANI