MI innings: 222\/5 (Hardik Pandya\u2019s side fell short)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nChopra said that Kohli\u2019s scoring rate appeared subdued for the context of the game. He emphasised that a win can mask individual pacing, but the innings still raised questions about approach. \u201cVirat Kohli actually scored very slow runs,\u201d Chopra noted, adding that the knock felt inappropriate for the style expected in this kind of fixture.<\/p>\n
He then pointed to what he saw as signs of distraction during the innings. Chopra claimed Kohli appeared unsettled and even burned two reviews on wide deliveries, which, in his view, hinted at a mindset issue. He also mentioned Kohli\u2019s fitness, suggesting the batter may have been carrying an injury, pointing to the fact that he did not appear to field in the way Chopra expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was trying, but it just did not come off,\u201d Chopra said, highlighting that the two wasted reviews on wide balls stood out. He added that Kohli looked injured as well, and suggested that could explain both the slower knock and the absence from the field. In Chopra\u2019s assessment, the innings reflected more than just form\u2014it reflected a lack of sharpness at critical moments.<\/p>\n
Salt\u2019s assault sets the tone<\/h3>\n
While Kohli\u2019s rhythm was questioned, Chopra had no reservations about the impact made at the top of the RCB innings by Phil Salt. The England batter delivered a match-shaping knock of 78 off 36 balls, striking six fours and six sixes. Chopra linked Salt\u2019s power to the momentum RCB needed early, particularly because Bengaluru were building toward a massive total.<\/p>\n
Chopra also highlighted that the opening stand turned into a platform, with RCB\u2019s partnership crossing the 100-run mark to put immediate pressure on MI. He praised Salt\u2019s ability to keep accelerating once he gets going, saying that when the batter starts hitting, he does not stop. \u201cPhil Salt\u2019s batting was top-class because a good start was necessary,\u201d Chopra observed.<\/p>\n
In the same breath, Chopra brought up an exchange that reflected Salt\u2019s mindset and readiness. He said he had been discussing whether Jacob Bethell could be utilised, and Salt\u2019s response was confident\u2014setting the tone for a batter who was clearly ready to dominate from the outset.<\/p>\n
Patidar\u2019s acceleration turns heads<\/h3>\n
Chopra also saved special praise for RCB captain Rajat Patidar, who continued a blistering run of form. In the same match, Patidar struck 53 off just 20 deliveries, adding to the momentum RCB carried after the foundation laid by Salt. Chopra underlined the speed of Patidar\u2019s hitting this season and the sheer scale of his power output in a short span.<\/p>\n
He compared Patidar\u2019s previous output to what he was already producing in the early stage of the tournament. Chopra noted that Patidar had struck 14 sixes across the entire last year, a total he described as excellent given that it helped the team win. But he said Patidar had already moved to 18 sixes, and that even more strikingly, he had smashed 10 sixes in his first 10 balls faced.<\/p>\n
Chopra stressed how dramatic that acceleration looked, pointing out that only four innings had been played, yet Patidar had already reached that six-hitting pace within the first over of his batting. He called it \u201cmonstrous\u201d and suggested the batter\u2019s ability to explode early was a defining feature of his game right now.<\/p>\n
Hardik\u2019s spin call questioned<\/h3>\n
On the bowling side, Chopra turned critical of Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya\u2019s tactical decision involving spin against Patidar. He questioned why MI would opt for that match-up, arguing it played directly into Patidar\u2019s strengths. In Chopra\u2019s view, Patidar had been targeting both pace and spin with the same confidence.<\/p>\n
Chopra said that he couldn\u2019t understand the logic behind the plan, suggesting that the batter was hitting immediately rather than waiting for a particular ball type. He also referenced Patidar\u2019s record of going after bowlers who tried to slow things down, and said Patidar\u2019s recent form indicated that spin was not a solution\u2014especially when the batter was already in rhythm.<\/p>\n
He added that the strategy felt like a \u201clamb to the slaughterhouse,\u201d and cited previous moments such as Patidar smashing three sixes against Mayank Markande. Chopra also referenced the captaincy aspect, saying Patidar was captaining well and batting very well, and suggested that at some stage he would make his return to the Indian team.<\/p>\n
Despite Chopra\u2019s pointed remarks about Kohli\u2019s pace and the tactical choices discussed around Patidar, the match still belonged to RCB overall. Salt\u2019s explosive start and Patidar\u2019s rapid hitting ensured Bengaluru\u2019s total remained out of reach, and the defending champions\u2019 bowling kept MI pinned, sealing an important win by 18 runs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former India batter Aakash Chopra has taken a close look at Virat Kohli\u2019s batting in Royal Challengers Bengaluru\u2019s IPL 2026 match against Mumbai Indians, even…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Aakash Chopra Slams Kohli Tempo as RCB Beat MI Again","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Aakash Chopra questions Virat Kohli\u2019s slow tempo as RCB defeat Mumbai Indians again at Wankhede, posting 241\/5 and winning by 18 runs.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n
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