Virat Kohli’s reply to a rough patch was pure Kohli—bold, clinical, and timed perfectly. After recording two straight scores of zero, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain came back in a way that reminded everyone why he’s held in such high regard in T20 cricket. In Raipur, he powered a thrilling successful chase of 193 against Kolkata Knight Riders, sealing the result with an unbeaten hundred that became his ninth IPL century. And for Krunal Pandya, it was vindication too: what he had hinted earlier had turned out to be spot on.
With the win, RCB moved further into a commanding spot at the top of the IPL 2026 standings, registering a decisive six-wicket victory over KKR. Kolkata, sent in first, managed to post 192/4, building a platform that looked solid from the outset. A major part of that momentum came from Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who struck 71 off 46 balls and provided the innings with the kind of acceleration that puts pressure on the chasing side. Still, as the chase unfolded, it became clear that the contest would ultimately be decided by Kohli.
Kohli arrived at the crease under heavy scrutiny after back-to-back ducks, but he quieted every question mark around his current form. Instead of letting the pressure dictate terms, he went about his work with a mix of intent and control, striking an unbeaten 106 from just 60 deliveries. The innings was a reminder of his ability to keep the required run-rate under control while also finding the boundaries when the moment called for it. He guided RCB to the target with five balls to spare, reinforcing his reputation as one of the most dependable chasers in the shorter formats.
There was extra meaning to Kohli’s turnaround because Krunal Pandya had already spoken about it ahead of this game. During the post-match interaction following RCB’s earlier win against Mumbai Indians, questions had come up about Kohli’s brief dip—specifically that he had managed only 28 runs across his previous three innings. Krunal, however, appeared completely confident that the slump would be temporary, backing Kohli to bounce back in a big way.
“Virat Kohli is a champion player. When he fails for two games, I get more excited because I know he will come back. We are never tense about him. He is a different beast, he has a lot of hunger. From here on, I am sure Virat Kohli will do Virat Kohli things,” Krunal had said, and on this night, Kohli delivered exactly that script.
After finishing the chase with his match-winning century, Krunal again grabbed attention online by posting on Instagram with the caption, “I Told You So.” The message captured the mood perfectly: confidence in Kohli’s hunger for runs, and the proof that RCB’s chase master still has plenty left to offer when the stakes are highest.
