It Was Definitely On Me: Ruturaj Gaikwad Takes Responsibility After CSK’s Defeat To RCB

Bengaluru, April 5: Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad took full responsibility after his side suffered a third consecutive defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who won by 43 runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

"If I had contributed more, maybe it could have been different. It (the loss) was definitely on me today," he said. "We still had the game in our hands till the 13-14th over (of the bowling innings but let momentum slip after it." Ruturaj Gaikwad also reflected on the missed opportunity to dismiss Tim David early: "Almost got a wicket of him, but it was an illegal delivery. After that, he smacked it all around the park. Hats off to him."

David's Blistering Knock Powers RCB To Their Highest Total Against CSK

Tim David played a match-winning role with a blistering 70 off just 25 balls, powering RCB to a massive 250/3. He credited RCB batting coach Dinesh Karthik for his preparation, saying, "I do not change my game much, but I have confidence from all the preparation that I do. It is nice to work with DK (Dinesh Karthik's fraternity name); he is an experienced player in these conditions. I have been in the IPL for a few years, and with that kind of preparation, you don't put pressure on yourself to perform," David said at the post-match presentation.

Sharing his joy after the knock, he added, "Very pleased - it does not always happen that way. The skipper (Rajat Patidar, who scored 48 off 19 balls) was smoking it. And I just took some balls off him - it was super fun. Going in to bat with Jitesh (Sharma) and (Romario) Shepherd behind me really gives me confidence."

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar praised David's finishing ability, saying, "He (David) is a specialist, and one of the best finishers. He is consistent and one of the best finishers I have ever seen." He also highlighted Krunal Pandya's impact, adding: "Whenever I come under pressure, I look to KP (Krunal Pandya) and I have that much belief in him."