RCB's Losing Streak Raises Mental Concerns, Says Du Plessis

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Faf du Plessis expressed concerns about the mental toll of their recent losing streak after their fifth consecutive defeat in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite scoring an impressive 262 for 7 in response to Sunrisers Hyderabad's record-breaking 287 for 3, RCB's bowling woes proved too costly.

Du Plessis acknowledged the lack of confidence in the bowling group, which has conceded over 199 runs in their last two outings. "When your confidence is low, there's nowhere to hide in the game," he said. "It's hard to be on top of your game as a bowler when the batters are moving forward so fast these days."

The RCB skipper suggested that a break might be necessary to reset before their next match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday. "It's such a mental game," he said. "Sometimes when we have a couple of back-to-back defeats, it feels like your mind is going to explode."

Despite the disappointing result, du Plessis praised his team's fighting spirit in the chase. "Great effort from the team to get closer to the target," he said. "We need to work on a few areas, but I'm proud to see the boys fought tonight and never gave up."

RCB's batting unit put up a strong performance, with du Plessis scoring 62 off 28 balls, Virat Kohli contributing 42 off 20 balls, and Dinesh Karthik hitting an 83 off 35 balls. However, du Plessis admitted that there were areas for improvement, particularly in maintaining the run rate after the powerplay.

With their qualification chances dwindling, RCB faces an uphill task in their remaining seven games. Du Plessis emphasized the importance of staying positive and committed despite the challenges. "We need to make sure that we do get back to the next challenge," he said. "We show full commitment 100%."

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