NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru kicked off IPL 2026 in style, but skipper Rajat Patidar made it clear who stood 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.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Patidar didn’t hold back in his admiration, calling Kohli the backbone of any chase. “No words can describe Virat Kohli. When he is in, the team is always in the chase. He is the No. 1 batter,” he said.The RCB captain credited Kohli and Padikkal for laying the foundation of the chase, dismissing suggestions of a pre-set aggressive template. “Not a policy, we assessed the wicket and it was good. Padikkal’s and Kohli’s innings were the base,” he explained.‘Everyone chipped in’While Kohli’s knock headlined the chase, Patidar highlighted the collective effort behind the win. “The way boys played, and this was a season opener, everyone chipped in and did the job,” he said.A key turning point, according to him, was the powerplay spell from debutant Jacob Duffy, who reduced SRH to 29/3. “Duffy was playing his first game, and the way he played and the wickets he took were the turning point,” Patidar noted.He also reserved praise for Phil Salt’s stunning effort in the field. “That was a terrific catch by Salt. Even I was surprised, 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 lot of impact… I just wanted to have a lot of impact.”Opposition takes note of Kohli threatSRH skipper Ishan Kishan also acknowledged Kohli’s decisive 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.With RCB starting their title defence in emphatic fashion, Patidar’s words echoed the mood in Bengaluru — when Kohli is in full flow, the chase is never out of reach.
