Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally gave their home fans something to cheer about after halting a three-match losing streak at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium with a gripping 11-run win over Rajasthan Royals on Thursday. It was a thrilling game in Bengaluru, with both teams gaining the upper hand at different moments before RCB eventually held their nerves to close out the match, defending a 206-run target.
Virat Kohli was the star of the show with the bat yet again, scoring a brilliant 70 off 42 deliveries, but had a wry smile and a rather cheeky remark in his post-match interview about their home fortunes, which hinted at deeper frustration now tinged with relief. When asked about the challenges he faces as an opening batter while batting in Bengaluru, Kohli hilariously told JioHotstar, “The first challenge is winning the toss (chuckles)."
"In the second half there is always dew. We've struggled to put on a par score,” Kohli said after RCB finally cracked the code at home.
It was a line delivered with humour but laced with truth, considering RCB had lost the toss in all four home games this season. Their previously unblemished away form – five wins in five on the road — had made their home slump all the more baffling.
Kohli on batting unit
Thursday night, though, brought a shift. Asked to bat first once again, Kohli led from the front with a fluent 70, setting the foundation alongside Devdutt Padikkal, who hammered 50 off just 27 deliveries. The pair stitched together a 95-run stand for the second wicket, giving RCB the platform they had so sorely missed in earlier home matches. A late push took them to 205/5, which proved just enough.
{{/usCountry}}Thursday night, though, brought a shift. Asked to bat first once again, Kohli led from the front with a fluent 70, setting the foundation alongside Devdutt Padikkal, who hammered 50 off just 27 deliveries. The pair stitched together a 95-run stand for the second wicket, giving RCB the platform they had so sorely missed in earlier home matches. A late push took them to 205/5, which proved just enough.
{{/usCountry}}“Look, we've had three pretty average games at home and we discussed a few things we need to get right as a batting unit and we applied ourselves well to get the total on board," Kohli said, underlining the introspection that followed RCB’s string of home defeats. "The pitch wasn't as flat as the score makes it look. Dew made the ball come on nicely in the second half and credit to Rajasthan for coming out and playing some good shots."
With RR cruising at 110/2 at one stage, it took a late burst of brilliance from Josh Hazlewood (4/33) to turn the tide. The Australian seamer held his nerve at the death, including a remarkable penultimate over that swung the match decisively in RCB's favour.
Kohli also shed light on the team’s renewed clarity in approach: “The template is now pretty simple, for one guy to bat through and the others to attack around him. Devdutt and I know this ground well. Just wanted to let Salt do his thing at the top.”
“Today we just tried to time the ball and keep enough pressure on the opposition to keep giving us boundary balls,” he added.