Bengaluru, March 28 "There are no words to describe Virat Kohli. When he is in, the team is always in a position to chase. He is the No. 1 batter," said Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar, following his side's commanding victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 season opener on Saturday.
Patidar, who led from the front with 12-ball-31, called it a collective effort while highlighting Kohli's 38-ball-69 unbeaten innings, which defined the chase, and debutant Jacob Duffy's impact with the new ball.
Asked if he was happy, Patidar replied: "The way the boys played and this was the season opener. Everyone contributed and did their job. Duffy was playing his first game, and his performance and the wickets he took were crucial."
When asked if RCB would follow Team India's policy of attacking at all costs, he didn't quite agree.
"Not a policy; we assessed the wicket, and it was good. Padikkal and Kohli's innings were the foundation. No words for Virat. When he comes in, the team is in a position to chase. He is the No. 1 batter."
He also praised Phil Salt for his brilliant catch to dismiss Ishan Kishan, who had scored 80.
"That (Ishan Kishan) was a brilliant catch by Salt. Even I was surprised, but he is a great fielder. I wanted to make a significant impact, and I wanted to chase quickly. I just wanted to make a big difference," Patidar said.
New Zealand pacer Duffy, who impressed on debut with a three-wicket haul, said he was simply trying to execute a clear plan and build on the work done by senior players.
"It was a fantastic start to the campaign. Great win."
Asked if he had been told to perform as Josh Hazlewood does, he said: "I am just trying to fill in for the senior player. I just wanted to bowl at the right lengths, and keep the ball in play. It's even better that I got to walk off the field after seven overs."
"We talked about the lengths and other things, what works here. Just build on what Josh did."
Duffy, who had struggled against Abhishek Sharma in recent T20Is, was happy to see his back.
"I am definitely sick of bowling to Abhishek (jokes). I haven't seen such bounce in India before as we saw here. But that's how it was today."
Asked if he had been told to bowl four overs upfront, he said: "Rajat just said go, and I happily obliged. When the ball is hard and new, it's the best time to bowl on this surface."
Opposition captain Kishan admitted that his side lost momentum at key moments but acknowledged Kohli's decisive role in the chase.
"We did well after losing momentum, which gives us a lot of confidence. You know, especially, we have to give credit to the batters, especially Virat bhai, while chasing. It was very important to get his wicket as soon as possible. Otherwise, if he keeps going, it's hard to stop him."
Since this was the first game, Kishan didn't want to be too harsh on his colleagues.
"We'll have to work a little harder. It's the first game, and these mistakes are acceptable for now. We'll be a little more cautious with the bowling, and we'll be stronger from this game," Kishan said.
