Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s chances of securing a top-two finish in IPL 2025 took a heavy blow after a 42-run defeat to SunRisers Hyderabad at Ekana Stadium. Stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma stirred controversy following the match with his unexpected comment, “Sometimes it’s good to lose,” a statement that has not gone down well with fans across social media.
Despite a promising 80-run opening partnership between Virat Kohli and Phil Salt, RCB faltered in their chase of 232. The collapse of the batting order was stunning, with the team losing their final seven wickets for just 16 runs, ultimately handing SRH a commanding victory.
Reflecting on the loss, Jitesh acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, noting the lack of intensity in the early stages. “Yes, we were rusty. The intensity was not there initially. After the 6-7 overs mark, we were there. In the death, we were bowling more accurately and more precise. But it’s good to lose this game, I feel,” he said.
He elaborated further, suggesting that defeat can be a valuable lesson: “Sometimes losing a game is a very good sign because you can check and analyse where you are lacking. If you keep winning, you don’t see your mistakes, and you keep going with the flow. The positive thing is that everyone’s chipping in. After this loss, we will see how the setup is. We will move forward from here.”
However, the fans were less receptive to this perspective, criticizing Sharma’s remarks as ill-timed and dismissive of the importance of the match. Social media was abuzz with reactions, many expressing frustration with the team’s performance and Sharma’s post-match tone.
Jitesh had opted to bowl first after winning the toss, but the decision backfired as SRH batters dismantled the RCB bowling attack. Ishan Kishan remained unbeaten on 94 off 48 balls, with support from Abhishek Sharma and Aniket Verma, who scored 34 and 26 runs respectively. SRH posted a formidable 231/6 in their 20 overs. “I think it was 20-30 runs extra. They played really well. In the powerplay, they really attacked us. I didn’t have any answers for their attack,” said Jitesh.
Adding to RCB’s concerns, star all-rounder Tim David suffered a potential injury while fielding during the final over of SRH’s innings. He was seen limping and was replaced by Jacob Bethell for the remaining balls. Although David came out to bat, he managed just 1 run off five deliveries. Jitesh was unable to provide an update on David’s condition, stating, “Right now, I haven’t met Tim David because I was upset I got out. I was in that zone so I have not met him.”
With just one league stage match remaining against Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday, May 27, RCB must regroup quickly. Their hopes of finishing in the top two now depend not only on their final performance but also on favorable outcomes in other matches.