New Delhi: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru started IPL 2026 in style, but the skipper Rajat Patidar It made it clear who was at the heart of the dominant six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. Virat Kohli.Chasing 202 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli’s unbeaten 69 and Devdutt Padikal’s explosive 61 gave RCB victory with 26 balls to spare.
Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Patidar did not hold back in his praise, calling Kohli the backbone of any chase. “No words can describe Virat Kohli. When he is in, the team is always in pursuit. He is the No. 1 batsman,” he said.The RCB captain dismissed suggestions of a pre-set offensive template and credited Kohli and Pedicel for laying the foundation for the chase. “Not a policy, we guessed the wicket and it was good. Pedicel and Kohli’s innings was the foundation,” he explained.‘Everybody came in’While Kohli’s knock headlined the chase, Patidar highlighted the collective effort behind the win. “The way the guys played, and it was a season opener, everyone chipped in and worked,” he said.A turning point, according to him, was the debutant’s powerplay spell. Jacob DuffyThat reduced SRH to 29/3. “Duffy was playing his first game, and the way he played and the wickets he took was the turning point,” noted Patidar.He also praised Phil Salt’s outstanding effort in the field. “It was a great catch by Salt,” he said. Even I was surprised but he is an excellent fielder.Patidar himself scored 31 off 12 balls and revealed that his intention was simple: “I wanted to make a big impact… I just wanted to make a big impact.”The opposition took note of Kohli’s threat.SRH captain Ishan Kishan He also acknowledged Kohli’s decisive role. He admitted that it was very important to get his wicket as soon as possible. Otherwise, it is difficult to stop if they continue.With RCB starting their title defense in earnest, Patidar’s words resonated in Bengaluru – when Kohli is in full flow, the chase is never out of reach.
