Virat Kohli’s cameo proved decisive as Royal Challengers Bengaluru took on Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. Kohli made a brief appearance at the crease, but the way he struck—especially one standout six—left an immediate mark on the contest. Facing Matt Henry, Kohli produced a no-look hit that rocketed into the stands, a shot that drew applause from the stands as Anushka Sharma reacted in real time to the audacity.
Kohli’s impact wasn’t limited to this fixture alone. He had also been in the spotlight in RCB’s earlier campaign opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he struck a half-century, and Anushka was present for that match as well. In Sunday’s game, after a chance went down and Kohli was spared, he appeared primed to build a bigger innings. The momentum, however, didn’t last—Ravindra Dube eventually held on to a catch to bring Kohli’s stay to an end on 28.
While Kohli’s knock was short, RCB’s batting power didn’t rely on any single name. Tim David, skipper Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal all delivered aggressive blows that pushed the home side towards a commanding total of 250 for 3 against CSK. Padikkal led the charge with a blistering 50 off 29 balls, and David tore through the bowling with a rapid 70 from just 25 deliveries, turning the chase into a difficult task for the Super Kings at every stage of the innings.
Patidar also ensured the momentum stayed firmly with Bengaluru. The captain struck an unbeaten 48 off 19 balls, keeping the scoring rate elevated and leaving CSK chasing boundaries rather than settling into a controlled rhythm. By the 15-over mark, RCB were already 153 for 3, and the final burst was just as ruthless—Bengaluru added 97 runs in the last five overs, capitalising on some wayward bowling choices from Chennai’s attack during the death overs.
