The stuff of champions: Virat Kohli, RCB’s relentless bowling attack to back-to-back IPL crowns

AHMEDABAD: In the end it had to be him.Virat Kohli fittingly made the finishing touches as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) sealed a second straight IPL title by beating Gujarat Titans by five wickets and thrashing them by 156 runs in a one-sided final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday night.‘King’ Kohli smashed Arshad Khan over long-on for a six to wrap things up with two overs to spare, capping off a dominant performance.Kohli, unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls (9×4, 3×6), produced a scintillating knock under pressure to bring up a 25-ball half-century, the fastest of his IPL career, to ensure that the earlier brilliance of the RCB bowlers did not go to waste. As chants of his name echoed around the packed stadium of more than 90,000, the modern great produced another defining performance on the biggest stage.In doing so, RCB became only the third team after Chennai Super Kings (2010-11) and Mumbai Indians (2019-20) to win back-to-back IPL titles, a remarkable turnaround for a franchise long plagued by near misses.Gujarat Titans never recovered from the early knocks after losing the toss and were restricted to a modest 155 for eight. Josh Hazlewood (2-37) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-29) set the tone in the Powerplay with disciplined hard lengths on a lively surface offering bounce and carry. The valuable wickets of Shubman Gill (10) and Sai Sudharsan (12) effectively broke the backbone of the GT batting.Rasikh Salam then ensured the hosts had no respite, finishing with an impressive 3-27. The seamer’s wickets of Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan underlined an outstanding campaign that saw him take 19 wickets in 12 matches, making him a strong contender for India selection. Krunal Pandya complemented the pacers brilliantly, returning 1-23 and removing Jose Buttler (19) with a smart piece of bowling.Also Read: Virat Kohli Seals Title Six, Anushka Sharma Breaks Out In Wild CelebrationsIf GT passed 150, it was largely due to Washington Sundar’s struggling 50 off 37 balls. When put in a precarious position, the all-rounder showed composure and determination to help the Titans recover from 63 for two at half-time to add 92 in the last 10 overs. But the effort was never enough to turn things around. The Titans’ downfall stemmed from poor shot selection and an inability to build partnerships. Gill’s ill-judged haul of Hazlewood, resulting in a simple catch by Rajat Patidar, set the tone. Sudharsan soon followed and edged the Bhuvneshwar bouncer. At 26 for two, GT were already on the back foot and exposed an untested middle order.Also Read: Virat Kohli Reveals Lifetime IPL Last WishTheir highest partnership was just 29 for the third wicket between Buttler and Sindhu, a reflection of an innings that never gained steam. Sixes were just three in total, highlighting RCB’s control of the ball and GT’s lack of intent. RCB’s chase was emphatic from the start. Kohli and Impact Player Venkatesh Iyer (32 off 16) added a brisk 62 off just 27 balls to gain early control. Although Rashid Khan briefly raised hopes with a double strike in the ninth over when he dismissed Patidar (15) and Krunal (1), there was no doubt about the final result with Kohli in sublime touch.Read also: Record destroyed! Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer register fastest fifties in IPL finals history as RCB chase storm