Nothing but praise was left by Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar towards Virat Kohli following his team’s overwhelming win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first match of the IPL 2026 season. Looking back at the victory, Rajat Patidar termed Kohli as being irreplaceable in chases, saying that no words can convey the impact of the veteran batsman. This reputation as one of the best finishers through his game was once again evidenced by Kohli, who made 69 off 38 deliveries without a single hit.

Rajat Patidar himself contributed sharply, crushing 31 in only 12 balls to trigger things off, but pointed out that the victory came through a team effort.

He also brought the eye-catching debut of New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy into the limelight, whose initial breakthroughs were decisive. In the opinion of the RCB skipper, Duffy’s turning point in the contest was the spell with the new ball.

Rajat Patidar sets the tone, Virat Kohli finishes, Jacob Duffy makes his mark

Rajat Patidar, having been asked whether RCB would follow the current, full-throttle attacking style as exhibited by Team India, made it clear that the team was not primarily dictated by a particular approach, but rather, circumstances dictated the approach.

He gave credit to Devdutt Padikkal and Kohli, who set the groundwork of the chase, and he has said time and again that having Kohli in the crease will have the team in control.

Patidar further praised Phil Salt on a brilliant catch that sent home Ishan Kishan, who threatened to steal the game with a scorching 80. The captain of the RCB acknowledged that he was surprised by the very catch, saying Salt is an outstanding fielder. He also explained that he used to make as much impact as possible and speed up the chase.

Duffy, who made three wickets on his debut, said he was delighted that he had helped provide the winning start.

The pacer told him that he had only one plan, as long as he was sticking to hard lengths and making the best of the new ball. When comparing himself to Josh Hazlewood, Duffy commented that he was just keeping the big fellow warm as he concentrated on accomplishing his job.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad captain Kishan confessed that his team was losing momentum at the right time but managed to see the bright side despite the loss. He recognized the decisive contribution of Kohli in the pursuit, and it was important to get rid of him at the earliest opportunity to have a chance of success.

Kishan was positive, as it was a learning experience according to him and supported his side to return with a stronger force in future matches.