Tennis Legend Mahesh Bhupathi calls for overhaul as RCB struggles continue in IPL 2024

Tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi has entered the cricketing arena, urging the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to instigate a change in ownership for the struggling Bengaluru franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) finds themselves in dire straits in IPL 2024, languishing at the bottom of the points table with a mere 2 points and a dismal net run rate of -1.185 after suffering losses in six out of seven games.

The Bengaluru outfit, captained by Faf du Plessis, is currently on a five-match losing streak, desperately needing a miraculous turnaround to salvage their hopes of making it to the playoffs. Bhupathi, a 12-time Grand Slam champion in doubles and mixed doubles, emphasized the necessity for a change in ownership to revitalize the franchise.

"For the sake of the sport, the IPL, the fans, and even the players, I think BCCI needs to enforce the sale of RCB to a new owner who will care to build a sports franchise the way most of the other teams have done so," Bhupathi expressed in a statement.

RCB's woes were further compounded in their recent clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) where their bowlers endured a nightmare outing. SRH amassed a colossal total of 287 for 3, with Travis Head notching up the fourth fastest IPL hundred, leaving RCB's bowling lineup in disarray. Every bowler leaked runs, with Reece Topley, Yash Dayal, Lockie Ferguson, and Vijaykumar Vyshak conceding over 50 runs each in their allotted four overs.

Despite a valiant effort from Dinesh Karthik, who scored 83 runs at a staggering strike-rate of 237.14, RCB fell short by 25 runs, managing to reach only 262 for 7. With their backs against the wall, RCB faces a daunting task as they gear up to take on Shreyas Iyer's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, April 21.