IPL 2023: We need to pull up our socks – Sanju Samson after loss against RCB

Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson feels they need to pull their socks up after two consecutive losses in the ongoing IPL 2023. RR suffered their second loss on the bounce after they were beaten by Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven runs at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Sunday.

RCB posted a par score of 189 runs on the board but RR could only manage 182-6 in their 20 overs. After Virat Kohli and Shahbaz Ahmed were dismissed early, Glenn Maxwell and Faf du Plessis continued their good form.

The RCB skipper scored 62 runs from 39 balls whereas Maxwell added 77 runs from 44 balls. The right-handed duo added 127 runs in 67 balls as they launched their onslaught against the RR bowlers.

In fact, RCB were looking all set to post a total of more than 200 runs at one stage but they could only manage 33 runs in the last five overs to veer off the track.

On the other hand, after Jos Buttler was dismissed in the first over by Mohammed Siraj, Devdutt Padikkal and Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 52 and 47 runs respectively for RR to get them back on track. Dhruv Jurely scored 16-ball 36 but Harshal Patel was able to defend 20 runs in the final over to help his team earn two crucial points.

Sanju Samson said in the post-match presentation, “I think when you are playing this ground, 10s 12s 13s in an over are chaseable. It is about getting the momentum, normally, Hetty does it for us, but he had an off-day, one shot here and there does it for us. The thought keeps on changing, depends on how the wicket plays, we decide on the time when a wicket falls.”

He added, “Ashwin with his experience, and he has delivered in the pressure moments in the last couple of games. A six and a four in the Ahmedabad game and we felt we could count on his experience [on Ashwin over Holder]. With the IPL games, winnings and losings is done in very small margins, keep checking small boxes, we need to keep on checking all those. If we had two losses, we need to pull up our socks’ and come back stronger in the next game.”

Rajasthan Royals will next face Chennai Super Kings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Thursday.