AB de Villiers Defends RCB Bowlers, Criticises Commentators for ‘Lazy Narratives’

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) legend AB de Villiers has come out strongly in defense of his former franchise’s bowling unit, slamming commentators for what he called unfair and negative criticism during RCB’s recent Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Speaking candidly on his YouTube channel, the former South African captain expressed frustration with how the broadcast team had seemingly written off RCB’s chances midway through the game. “I listened to the commentators last night, and honestly, it got me so angry. They were so negative when we were bowling,” said de Villiers, clearly disappointed with the tone taken during the match coverage.

RCB eventually secured a six-wicket win over LSG in a high-scoring contest, but not before their bowling effort was repeatedly questioned. De Villiers argued that the criticism ignored critical context—namely, the batting-friendly pitch at Ekana Stadium.

“They kept saying, ‘RCB’s bowling is under pressure. They don’t look like they’re going to manage it.’ But what about this – maybe it was just a really good batting wicket, guys?” he said. “To all you very clever and sharp commentators out there, how about considering the possibility that it was an excellent surface for batting?”

He continued, “Yes, RCB have never won a title, but it’s lazy to keep saying, ‘Here we go again.’ Sometimes commentators get fixated on a narrative.” De Villiers further explained that high scores should not automatically be interpreted as poor bowling performances, especially on flat tracks.

“Rishabh Pant is not going to score 118 off 60-odd balls on a tricky pitch. All the LSG batters were fluent out there. Yes, there was some poor bowling at times, but ultimately, 227 runs on that surface shows it was just a very good pitch,” he added, encouraging analysts to consider all aspects before drawing conclusions.

The passionate defense comes as RCB gears up for a crucial Qualifier 1 showdown against Punjab Kings (PBKS) tonight in Mullanpur. Both teams have identical win-loss records, finishing the league stage with nine wins in 14 matches, but PBKS edged ahead in the standings due to a superior net run rate (+0.372 vs RCB’s +0.301).

A win tonight would seal a direct passage to the IPL 2025 final for RCB, as they chase their first-ever IPL title—an elusive goal that continues to fuel both criticism and hope.