IPL: Kohli's fifty was crucial for RCB's stability, says Harbhajan

Harbhajan Singh calls Virat Kohli's fifty 'crucial' for providing stability despite the batter being unsatisfied. Irfan Pathan blames MI's loss on poor bowling and lauds Rajat Patidar's aggressive batting as a 'nightmare for bowlers'.

Following Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) win over Mumbai Indians (MI), former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh spoke on Virat Kohli's half-century, saying that it was visible that the batter was not "satisfied with his knock", but acknowledged his role was "crucial" to provide "stability" to the top order.

Riding on the half centuries of Phil Salt, Kohli and skipper Rajat Patidar, RCB debated MI's by 18 runs in the IPL 2026. However, Virat looked a little scratchy, struggling to connect some of his shots and scored 50 in 38 balls, with five fours and a six with a strike rate of over 13 way down from his tournament SR of over 173 before that point. So far, Virat is amongst the top 10 run-getters with 179 runs in four innings, averaging 59.66, with a strike rate of over 162.

Harbhajan on Kohli's 'Crucial' Innings

Speaking on JioHotstar's 'Match Centre Live', Harbhajan said, "Virat Kohli's half-century came at a slightly slower pace. You could see he wasn't fully satisfied, especially with the way Phil Salt was scoring at the other end. But his role was crucial. He ensured there were no early wickets and provided stability at the top."

The former spinner said that Kohli cemented the innings making the way for Salt and Patidar to go bersek against MI bowling. "While players like Rajat Patidar and Salt played more aggressively, Kohli anchored the innings and allowed them to play their natural game. Against someone like Jasprit Bumrah, he was very cautious and played him intelligently, but he made sure to capitalise on the other bowlers whenever there was an opportunity," he added.

Praise for Krunal Pandya's Bowling

Harbhajan also heaped praises on spinner Krunal Pandya's spell of 1/26, who has five wickets in four matches with thebest figures of 2/30. "He uses his angles, pace, and understanding of conditions brilliantly. We talk a lot about batters, but matches like these are won by bowlers, and Krunal was the biggest difference. For anyone who says spinners do not work at Wankhede, this was a perfect example of how to adapt and use your skill intelligently," he added.

Irfan Pathan on MI's Performance

Also, JioStar expert Irfan Pathan spoke on MI's batting performance, said that the Hardik Panday got off a start but failed to convert and pointed out that conceding 240 runs is a "bigger issue". He also said that the MI's lost early wickets and lost the momemtum. "There are concerns with the batting, no doubt, but the bigger issue starts with conceding 240. Having said that, chasing 241 on a pitch like this, you still expect them to get closer. The problem was the lack of a solid start in the Powerplay and losing wickets early, which put pressure on the middle order. In the middle overs, there were phases where they could have gone big but did not. Hardik Pandya got runs but never looked in full control, Tilak Varma has now had a few quiet innings, and players like Rickelton need to find more options against spin. Those small gaps made the difference," he said.

Patidar a 'Nightmare for Bowlers'

The former Indian all-rounder lauded RCB skipper Rajat Patidar for his 20-ball 53 with four boundaries and five sixes, calling him a "nightmare for bowlers".

"Patidar has been a nightmare for bowlers. He comes in and starts attacking from ball one. That intent makes a huge difference. The moment he walked in, he set the tone, and every ball he faced, looked like it could go the distance. He's been the biggest positive in their batting line-up, and his approach is what really separates RCB's total from the opposition," he added.

Against spin this season, Patidar has faced 59 balls, scoring 129 runs at a strike rate of 218.94, with nine fours and 11 sixes, being dismissed twice. Against pace, he has made 66 in 32 balls, with a strike rate of 206.25, including two fours and seven sixes, being dismissed once.

Patidar is the joint-highest six-hitter with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (18) this season and is the second-highest run-getter, with 195 runs in four innings at an average of 65.00 and a strike rate of 214.28, with two fifties. (ANI)

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