Virat Kohli is our number one chasemaster, says RCB skipper Patidar

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar praised Virat Kohli as the team's 'chasemaster' after his match-winning 69* helped chase 202 against SRH in record time. Patidar also lauded pacer Jacob Duffy, who was named Player of the Match for his 3 wickets.

Patidar Hails 'Chasemaster' Kohli

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar praised Virat Kohli as the team's top "chasemaster". Patidar said he has always admired Kohli's batting and enjoys watching him from the dugout, highlighting his shot selection and ability to read match situations as especially impressive. Kohli played a match-winning, unbeaten knock of 69 off 38 deliveries, including five fours and as many sixes against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), that helped the defending champions chase down the fastest 200-plus runs in the history of IPL. Bengaluru chase down the 202-run target in just 15.4 overs in the IPL 2026 opener.

"Virat Kohli is our number one chase master, as we know. I always admired his batting, and to watch his batting from the dugout, the way he played, the way he played his shots, the way he assessed the situation, I think that was really good to see always," Patidar told the reporters.

Praise for T20 Specialist Jacob Duffy

Patidar also lauded RCB's speedster Jacob Duffy as a skilled T20 specialist, saying the team trusts him and that his bowling performance and execution have been excellent.

"He's a specialist T20 bowler, and we have a lot of confidence in him. That's why we have given him a chance, but as we all know, he's a specialist bowler and the way he's delivering, the way he's showing his skill, I think that is tremendous," he added. Duffy took three wickets to help his team beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets and get their IPL 2026 campaign going. Duffy was also awarded the Player of the Match for his impressive spell with the ball.

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