IPL 2025 RCB vs DC | We asked for good pitches but it’s been challenging to bat on: Karthik after RCB’s second home defeat

Tough going: RCB batters’ exploits at the Chinnaswamy Stadium have been below-par.
| Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach Dinesh Karthik hinted that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch has not delivered what the team management desires.

Karthik’s explanation came after RCB succumbed to a second straight home defeat on Thursday. The host batted first against Delhi Capitals on a sticky wicket, and finished on a sub-par 163 for seven.

In the first outing here, against Gujarat Titans, RCB similarly struggled and made 169 for eight. On both occasions, the chasing side had an easier time of it.

Asked in the post-match press conference if RCB would have preferred to have batting-friendly conditions, as seen at this venue in seasons past, Karthik said: “The way T20 cricket is, the more runs there are, the better it is for the broadcaster and fans. They all like to see boundaries.”

“In the first two games, we asked for good pitches. But it’s turned out this way where it’s been challenging to bat on for sure. So, we try and do the best with whatever we get,” Karthik added.

When asked if the RCB think-tank will follow up with the curator, Karthik replied: “We will obviously have a chat with him, and we trust him to do his job.”

Pitch conditions have been a recurring talking point in IPL 2025. There have been murmurs around the Eden Gardens surface and whether it plays to the strengths of KKR. Likewise, Lucknow Super Giants was also unhappy with the pitch it got for its first home game in Lucknow.