RCB’s Top-Two Hopes Dent After SRH Loss, But All Eyes on Final League Game

Friday night in Lucknow was meant to be a pivotal one for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) — a win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) could have all but secured them a top-two finish in IPL 2025. Instead, a 42-run defeat left them clinging to mathematical possibilities, and looking for momentum in the season's final stretch. Speaking after the loss, former RCB coach Tom Moody urged the side to "move on very quickly" from the disappointment, emphasizing the need to remain upbeat in the face of adversity.

RCB’s campaign has been interrupted by injuries and external events: Phil Salt’s return after illness was delayed further by border tensions, Josh Hazlewood and Devdutt Padikkal have been sidelined, Jacob Bethell and Lungi Ngidi have departed for national duties, and Tim David may have picked up a hamstring injury. Yet Salt’s 5-sixes-laden 80-run opening stand with Virat Kohli offered a glimmer of hope — a rare positive Moody suggested they should build on.

Anil Kumble echoed the sentiment of cautious optimism, noting that while Salt was rusty, the start to the chase of 232 was promising. But the middle overs proved costly. Mayank Agarwal, back in the XI in place of Padikkal, managed only 11 off 10 balls, while Rajat Patidar — returning from injury — scratched out 18 from 16. The partnership between them slowed the momentum, and the wickets that followed left RCB unable to maintain the pace set by Kohli and Salt.

Kumble was blunt in his post-match assessment, saying, “You shouldn’t be losing at this stage,” underlining the cost of not closing out winnable games. He pointed to RCB’s final league match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 27 as their last chance to stay in contention for a top-two finish. The upside? RCB will play the last game of the league phase and will know precisely what result is required to push them through — whether it's a straightforward win or a dominant performance to boost net run rate.

While stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma tried to frame the loss as a learning opportunity, Kumble wasn’t convinced. With little margin for error and the pressure mounting, RCB will need more than analysis — they’ll need execution. As the league reaches its climax, RCB’s path remains open but treacherous. The playoffs are still within reach, but they’ll need to show resilience, clarity, and a little bit of luck to get there.

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