We're sitting on a batting unit that's explosive – Virat Kohli on RCB’s dynamic batting flair
RCB’s batting in IPL 2026 has been top-notch so far, hammering away four totals of 200-plus and chasing down LSG’s 146 in 15.1 overs with a scoring rate almost close to 10. Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar have been two of their biggest hits this season. Kohli leads the race for the Orange Cap while Patidar is third, six runs behind the leader.
Talking at the post-match presentation, Virat Kohli opened up on how RCB has assigned specific roles to everyone in the team. From hitting the fifth gear early to anchoring the innings in a certain way just in case things went haywire, RCB’s thinktank has it all chalked out.
Shedding light on how Patidar has been in blistering form and the planning of the RCB management that goes behind it, Kohli said, “We have our KPIs as a batting unit and it says Rajat to go in and assess the situation. I always tell him, you're probably looking to assess the bowler's heart rate rather than the situation, like where do these guys stand. I mean, incredible. It's clarity. Also, the way our management has stacked up our team. It allows us to play in a certain way.”
He further added, “I have to adapt my roles accordingly. It allows me to play a certain way up front with Salty. So we pass on the baton pretty nicely in this team. And yeah, just the freedom of having Romario and Tim and .. KP hasn't even batted in any games yet. So, we're sitting on a batting unit that's explosive, that's getting the job done.”
Explaining the dynamics of hard-hitting the depth that follows in the RCB unit, Kohli said, “And yeah, it looks pretty intimidating if I was in the opposition as well if you have like Romario and Tim to walk in even after you're five down. These guys can get you 50 runs in four overs. So, that's pretty handy to have and that's giving all of us a lot of freedom.”
Underlining how RCB decides how one would go about in a particular condition, Kohli stated, “Well, it depends on the situation and the condition as well for me. Not all games are going to be 230, 240. We understand the game's moving forward pretty nicely, that the demands of the modern game are pretty different, but you always have to keep an eye out on the situation and when people play under pressure. We're still in the first half of the tournament.”
Adding further, Kohli said, “Second half onwards, the games are going to get tighter and people are going to be under pressure a lot more than now. So when the freedom goes away, the pressure kicks in, that's when the smarts of the game have to be applied as well, which I think will put teams in good stead, whoever can apply and adapt and play according to the conditions and the situation will be the teams that will go a long way.”
He concluded by saying, “But yeah, the game has certainly changed. As I said, I'm trying my best. I think I've done okay so far in adapting. Early on, last two games, as I said, I haven't been at my best, but yeah, I'm always looking to push the bar."
