RCB’s Virat Kohli, left, and Rajat Patidar during the IPL 2026 opener. (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru started IPL 2026 in style, but skipper Rajat Patidar made it clear who was at the heart of their dominant six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad — Virat Kohli.Chasing 202 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli’s unbeaten 69 and Devdutt Padikkal’s explosive 61 powered RCB to victory with 26 balls to spare.
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Greenstone Lobo predicts IPL 2026 winner Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!The Patidar did not hold back in his admiration and called Kohli the backbone of any chase. “No words can describe Virat Kohli. When he is on, the team is always in the hunt. He is the No. 1 batsman,” he said.Crediting Kohli and Padikkal for laying the foundations of the chase, the RCB skipper dismissed suggestions of a pre-set aggressive template. “It’s not politics, we evaluated the wicket and it was good. Padikkal and Kohli’s innings was the basis,” he explained.‘All Joined’While Kohli’s knock was the main theme of the chase, Patidar highlighted the collective effort behind the win. “The way the guys played, and this was the start of the season, everyone stepped in and did their job,” he said.The key turning point, he said, was a powerplay spell from debutant Jacob Duffy, who reduced SRH to 29/3. “Duffy played his first match and the way he played and the wickets he took was a turning point,” noted Patidar.He also reserved praise for Phil Salt’s stunning fielding efforts. “That was a great catch by Salt. It even surprised me but he is a great fielder,” he said.Patidar himself contributed a quickfire 31 off 12 balls and revealed his intent was simple: “I wanted to create a big impact… I wanted to make a big impact.”The opposition takes note of Kohli’s threatSRH captain Ishan Kishan also acknowledged Kohli’s crucial role. “It was very important to get his wicket as soon as possible. Otherwise, if he keeps going, it’s hard to stop him,” he admitted.
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As RCB began their title defense in emphatic fashion, Patidar’s words echoed the mood in Bengaluru – when Kohli is in full swing, the chase is never out of reach.
