Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) flawless away run in IPL 2025 finally came to a halt as Sunrisers Hyderabad handed them a resounding 42-run defeat in Lucknow. It was RCB’s first loss away from home this season, and while the result dented their hopes of a top-two finish, stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma struck a defiant tone post-match.
Jitesh Sharma: It’s good to lose this game
“It’s good to lose this game,” Jitesh said, pointing to the timing of the setback. “Sometimes losing a game is a very good sign because you can check and analyse. We’ve got a setback to check things again.” With the playoffs around the corner, Jitesh saw value in the opportunity to address weaknesses that may have been masked by victories.
He said thus so that RCB can dissect their shortcomings and do their homework next time when they take field, i.e., against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 27. RCB didn’t lose a single game in their last five fixtures and sometimes it may be a good sign to get that ‘L’ out of the way just before the all-important IPL playoffs.
SRH spoil RCB’s momentum, but Jitesh remains positive
Despite Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten 94 powering SRH to 231/6 and exposing flaws in RCB’s bowling execution, Jitesh was keen to focus on the bigger picture. “We were rusty, the intensity was not there initially,” he admitted. “But in the death, we were bowling more accurately.”
The loss was compounded by Tim David’s hamstring scare — a concern heading into the knockout stages. However, Jitesh chose not to dwell on injuries or missed opportunities, instead praising the team’s collective form. “The positive things are that everyone’s chipping in. We are batting well. We will bounce back.”
