IPL 2024: ‘Can’t be walking out and throwing wicket away’ - Finch slams Patidar after RCB lose thriller to KKR

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by a run in match 36 of the IPL 2024 edition on Sunday (April 21), at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Being asked to bat first, Shreyas Iyer-led KKR rode on their captain's 50, Phil Salt's 14-ball 48 and contributions from Andre Russell, Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh to post 222/6. In reply, RCB were dismissed for 221 on the final ball of the high-scoring contest despite fifties from Will Jacks (55) and Rajat Patidar (52). After the contest, former Australia white-ball captain Aaron Finch slammed Patidar for his dismissalduring a crunch moment of the run-chase.

RCB lost captain Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli early in the run-chase. However, Jacks and Patidar's 102-run third-wicket stand brought RCB back into the contest. In the 12th over, Iyer introduced Russell into the attack and he dismissed Jacks on the first ball. Three balls later, Patidar also departed with a poor shot -- being deceived by the pace off the delivery -- as Russell removed the two set batters in a flash and brought his side on top.

Finch slammed Patidar for losing patience. He schooled the RCB batter that he should have waited for a bit more deliveries before going for another big shot, having just lost Jacks at the other end. The Aussie told Star Sports, "He had to make sure that he batted 2 to 3 overs deeper for RCB to have a batter who is in. Yes, we have seen some huge scores and we have seen guys walking out and trying to smack the ball out of the park from ball one. But there has to be a strategy behind it as well."

Finch added, "You can’t be walking out and throwing wickets away, particularly in batters. It’s hard enough to get in, especially on a surface like that where the ball was holding enough and spinners were having an impact. Patidar needed to chill out for maybe 4 or 5 balls, get to the next over and then reassess. But you can’t afford to have two in batters get out in the same over."

Patidar started the season slowly but has got two fifties in eight games. However, he would be gutted to have thrown his wicket at a crucial juncture of RCB's run-chase versus KKR, where his side lost by a run. The three-time finalists lost the plot after Patidar and Jacks' dismissals and eventually got dismissed at 221 in their full quota of overs. They next play the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad on Thursday (April 25).