New Delhi: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore kicked off IPL 2026 in style, but captain rajapatidar Clarifying who was the key figure in their 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 helped RCB register victory with 26 balls remaining.Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Partida made no secret of his admiration and called Kohli the backbone of any chase. “There are no words to describe Virat Kohli. When he comes on, the team is always chasing. He is the No. 1 batsman,” he said.The RCB skipper praised Kohli and Padikkal for laying the foundation of the chase, dismissing suggestions of a preset attack template. “It was not a policy, we assessed the wickets and it worked well. Padikkar and Kohli’s innings were the basis,” he explained.‘Everyone is involved’While Kohli’s batting took center stage in the chase, Patidar highlighted the collective effort behind the win. “The way the boys played, it was the season opener and everyone pitched in and got the job done,” he said.According to him, a key turning point was the debut of the powerful spell Jacob Duffyhe 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,” Patidar pointed out.He also praised Phil Salter for his amazing efforts in the field. “Salter’s catch was fantastic. Even I was surprised, but he’s a great fielder,” he said.Patidar himself smashed a quick 31 off 12 balls and revealed his intentions were simple: “I want to make a big impact… I just want to make a big impact.”Opposition takes note of Kohli’s threatCaptain SRH Ishan Kishan Kohli’s decisive role was also acknowledged. “It’s important to get his wicket as soon as possible. Otherwise, if he keeps going, it will be difficult to stop him,” he admitted.As RCB begins their title defense in emphatic fashion, Patidar’s words echo the mood in Bengaluru – when Kohli is at his best, the chase is never out of reach.
