IPL review: So close, so far for Kohli-led RCB

NEW DELHI: This was so very nearly Royal Challengers Bangalore's IPL. Led by Virat Kohli the T20 batting powerhouse, and with sometimes surreal contributions from AB de Villiers, the batting papered over most weaknesses in the bowling to lift RCB to the final. Without their bowling spearhead Mitchell Starc, they found tremendous lift from Yuzvendra Chahal - a constant sources of wickets - and until he had a stunning rare off day during the final, Shane Watson.To get so far without Starc and while carrying an ordinary Chris Gayle was a big achievement for RCB. That they failed to chase 209 on the biggest stage will rankle.
IPL 9 record: Played 16, Won 9, Lost 7
Led by Kohli, de Villiers, Watson and Chahal, the franchise soared to the final where the bowling fell apart. Along the way was some of the most electrifying batting seen in the tournament's history, with Kohli breaking all records and de Villiers leaving RCB supporters exhilarated.
High point
Beating Gujarat Lions by 144 runs - the highest margin in the history of the IPL - was a stunning response to defeat in the previous game. The chief architects were Kohli (109) and de Villiers (129 not out) who put on 229 in 16 overs. Walking in at 19/1 in 3.5 overs, de Villiers was off like a madman, striking some outrageous shots as he sped to his half-century in 25 balls. From here, he surged to his hundred in the next 18, hitting five sixes and three fours. After 18 overs, Kohli was on 65 off 45 balls to de Villiers' 128 off 51, and proceeded to hit Shivil Kaushik for four sixes and a four to finish the 19th over on 95. Kohli's landmark third IPL century came midway through the 20th over, with Praveen Kumar hammered straight down the ground.
Low point
Losing to Gujarat Lions by six wickets, after Kohli's first century in T20 cricket set up a total of 180/2. Once again the franchise's threadbare bowling let RCB down, for there was hardly any pressure applied in defense of a good total.
Captaincy verdict
Kohli the batsman trumped Kohli the captain, for the sheer volume of runs and how they were made. But to do so as captain, especially in the last four games of the league stage which were virtually must-wins, is credit to the leader in Kohli. What he lacked in tactical choices, Kohli almost made up for with his excellent boundary-riding fielding all tournament. To take a team with such a limited bowling attack to the final of the IPL was a huge achievement.
Most valuable player
Who else but Kohli?
Major disappointment
The man who has bullied attacks in the IPL since he first donned RCB colors was a shadow of himself. Gayle entered the tournament on a lean run and took five games to get into double-digits. Scores of 49, 73, 1, 9 and 76 followed, the latter being Gayle's first fifty in a T20 final. Those two fifties significantly bloated his tournament average of 22.70. With 227 runs in ten innings, this was a poor IPL for the self-proclaimed Universe Boss. That Gayle was benched by Kohli during a league match was testament to RCB's must-win mentality but also how the West Indian's stock has slipped.
Verdict
Losing Starc cast doubts over the bowling, but thanks chiefly to Watson and Chahal the team did not descend into dangerous territory. When the going got tough, Kohli and de Villiers kept RCB afloat. Making the final was a high; ending up eight runs short was wind out of RCB's sails. Still, the most entertaining team to follow.
Must do for 2017
RCB need more power in the middle order, and a fit Starc. The domestic Indian pace bowling quotient is very weak, so that needs addressing.