Fans and pundits have responded in bafflement to the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s dugout’s decision to demote AB de Villiers to number six in the batting order in their loss against Kings XI Punjab in the IPL.
The South Africa batsman, one of the most destructive in limited overs cricket, had scored an unbeaten 73 from 33 balls in his last outing in the competition two days ago.
De Villiers nailed 65 of the 83 runs RCB plundered in their final five overs in Sharjah in that game against the Kolkata Knight Riders, with one of his maximums sailing out of the ground and into the street and another completing a 23-ball fifty.
But in his side’s game against Kings XI, with ten overs remaining, the 36-year-old didn’t come in at No.4 as expected. Instead he was pushed down the order to make way for Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube.
While de Villiers holds the record for the fastest ODI century and is a three-time ICC Player of the Year winner, Sundar and Dube have struck just three fifties in 124 T20 games between them.
‘You’d want the best to face the most balls possible’
“He has scored 8 off 10 balls. He has taken away two overs of AB de Villiers mayhem,” former India batsman Sunil Gavaskar said of Sundar in commentary.
“Look, the man scored 73 in the previous game off 33 deliveries. A couple of days ago on this very ground, he smashed the ball out of the ground so many times.”
Sundar eventually got out for 13 from 14 and Dube hit 23 off 19, while de Villiers, entering the crease with only four overs remaining with the score on 127-4, made just two from five.
I am still trying to figure out why Sundar is batting at No. 4
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) October 15, 2020
Mark Nicholas shared his bewilderment in the commentary box, adding: “We often wonder why the dugout overcomplicates things. You would think that you’d want one of the best players in the history of the game to face the most balls possible.”
RCB No.7 Chris Morris made the first-innings total respectable, racing to 25 off eight, as the Virat Kohli-led side finished on 171-6.
Can’t believe RCB promoted AB de Villiers above Chris Morris tbh
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) October 15, 2020
Their total however was chased down by Punjab despite some excellent death bowling from Yuzvendra Chahal, as Chris Gayle and KL Rahul both made half-centuries.
WTH? Sundar and now Dube above de Villiers!
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) October 15, 2020
[breakout id=”0″][/breakout] And reporters, cricketers and fans were all left to question RCB’s bizarre decision on Twitter:
In today's #IPL2020 game, #RCB have demoted AB de Villiers, arguably the greatest all-formats batsman there's been, to No.6, below Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube, a pair with three fifties in 122 T20 games between them.
Anyone? pic.twitter.com/6XKWSsqeVg
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) October 15, 2020
What was the thinking behind it? Well, we have our theories.
