"This is why they have not won the IPL for so many years" - Ambati Rayudu on RCB's IPL 2024 loss to LSG

Ambati Rayudu has attributed the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) inability to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) title to below-par bowling and their big-ticket batters' failure to deliver in crunch situations.

The Lucknow Super Giants set RCB a 182-run target after being asked to bat first in an IPL 2024 league game in Bengaluru on Tuesday, April 2. The visitors then bundled Faf du Plessis and company out for 153 to complete a convincing 28-run win and climb into fourth position in the points table.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Rayudu was asked about the factors that contributed to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's defeat.

"I feel their bowling always gives over-par runs and batting performs under par. No big-name batter is seen playing for RCB when they are under pressure. Such teams never win. This is why they have not won the IPL for so many years," he responded.

The former India player noted that Dinesh Karthik and the relatively inexperienced Indian batters were left to do the difficult job during the run chase.

"All young players keep playing down the order and the big-name players go at the top and leave after eating the cream over the cake. If you see, who were the batters batting under pressure - your young Indian batters and Dinesh Karthik," Rayudu observed.

RCB were reduced to 58/4 after 7.4 overs, with Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green being the batters dismissed. Although Mahipal Lomror smoked a 13-ball 33 and Rajat Patidar scored 29 runs off 21 deliveries, the Bengaluru-based franchise fell well short in the end.

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"This has been this team's story for the last 16 years" - Ambati Rayudu on RCB

Cameron Green hasn't yet delivered with the bat for RCB. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Ambati Rayudu claimed that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's established international players are found wanting under pressure.

"Your big-name international players, who need to take the pressure, where were they? All of them were in the dressing room. This is not happening today. This has been this team's story for the last 16 years," he stated.

Virat Kohli (22 off 16) and Faf du Plessis (19 off 13) stitched together a 40-run partnership for the opening wicket before both were dismissed in back-to-back overs, with the latter getting run out while attempting an ill-judged single. Mayank Yadav then got the better of Glenn Maxwell (0 off 2) and Cameron Green (9 off 9) with his pace to virtually seal LSG's win.